A STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF BUCK WHEAT (Fagopyrum esculentum) SUPPLEMENTED DIET ON GROWTH PERFORMANCES AND SERUM LIPID PROFILE OF BROILER

Abstract

The use of antibiotics as feed additives is hazardous due to cross-resistance amongst pathogens and residues in tissues. Natural feed additives of plants origin are generally believed to be safe, healthier, less subject to hazards and not accompanied by problems than synthetic feed additives. This study was conducted in order to investigate the effect of buckwheat supplemented diet on lipid profile and growth performance of broiler during 15 July 2012 to 24 August 2012. Birds were divided into 5 experimental treatments of 24 birds on each. Each treatment was composed on 3 replications with 8 birds in each replication. The first two control groups were fed with commercial and own control diet, respectively. The rest three treatments were fed with 10%, 20% and 30% buckwheat supplemented diet by replacing soybean meal and soybean oil for 4 (four) weeks. Data regarding body weight along with feed intake and mortality rate was taken at regular interval. Blood samples from all groups were collected for two times (at 15 days interval) from wing vein for lipid profile studies. Total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein levels were determined. The study showed that the diet supplemented with buckwheat seed powder had significant effects on broilers weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio. However, the 30% buckwheat supplemented diet significantly (p<0.05) decreased the levels of serum cholesterol, triglycerides and increased the high density lipoprotein compared to the control birds. The 30% buckwheat supplemented diet also had bird mortality. These findings recommended that 30% buckwheat supplemented diet could be considered as an alternative natural growth promoter to hazardous synthetic antibiotics for safe poultry meat production.