Comparing the effects of medicinal herbs (Garlic powder and Chicory powder) and antibiotic (Virginia mycine) on performance, immune system and carcass characteristics of broiler chicks.

An experiment was conducted under completely randomized design to study the comparative effect of different level of feed additives such as (garlic powder and chicory powder), probiotic and antibiotic on performance, immune response, carcass characteristics and blood biochemistry of broiler chicks. 1140 thirteen day old Cobb chicks were randomly distributed into six experimental diets with three replicates (except treatment with probiotic had four replicates) with feed and water ad libitum for 22 days. The experimental diets were as follows: 1) -Basal diet (without feed additives), 2) -Basal diet + garlic powder 1.5%, 3) -Basal diet + chicory powder1.5%, 4) -Basal diet + garlic powder1.5%, + Chicory powder1.5%, 5) - Basal diet + Antibiotic (virginiamycin) 20ppm/kg feed, 6) -Basal diet + probiotic (biomin Imbo) 0.1%. Performance of birds were such as, body weight, feed consumption and feed efficiency were recorded through out the experimental periods. At the age of 28 days, two birds from each replicate were selected randomly and blood was collected to study the blood parameters and carcass traits. As the result was revealed, feed additives were not affected significantly on body weight through out the experimental period. Numerically, the higher and the lower body weight were observed in groups had diets containing probiotic and garlic powder respectively. The higher and the lower feed intake were showed in groups had basal diet and diet containing garlic powder1.5% (p0.05). Significantly feed efficiency were Improved by supplementing diets with medicinal plants (p0.05). Neverthless, best feed efficiency was observed in chicks which had diets included with probiotics. Supplementations of diets with different feed additives did not effect significantly on carcass percentages. Where as, diets supplemented with garlic and chicory powder increased drastically breast muscles significantly (p0.05). Chicory and antibiotics in diet reduced significantly abdominal fat contents (p0.05). Though, probiotic had an increasing trend on abdominal fats and cholesterol too (p0.05). Inclusions of garlic powder in diet, had reduced blood cholesterol significantly (p0.05). The higher and the lower WBC count was observed in diets supplemented with garlic powder+chicory powder and chicory powder alone and differences were significant (p0.05). Diets containing garlic powder had improved immune responses as compare to other experimental groups (p0.05). Significantly higher titration against influenza were observed in diets containing garlic powder + chicory powder (p0.05). Key words: Antibiotic, chicks, chicory powder, garlic powder, performance, Probiotics and carcass characteristics