Effect of adding crushed Black seeds and dry Ginger powder to diets on productive performance of laying hens

Abstract

This study was carried out at the poultry farm of Animal Resources Dept. / College of Agriculture / University of Baghdad during the period from 1/2/2008 to 1/8/2008 to investigate the effect of adding different levels of crushed black seeds and dry ginger powder to diets on some productive performance of laying hens. Ninty lay-ing hens (Lohmann Brown) at the age of 20 weeks were used in this study. At the age of 22 weeks , the hens were individually weighed and randomly distributed into five treatments and each treatment with three replicates (6 hens / replicate). The treatments were as follows : T1 (control) without any addition , T2: 1% crushed black seeds ,T3: 2% crushed black seeds , T4 : 1% dry ginger powder and T5: 2% dry ginger powder . The results revealed that the treatments included addition of crushed black seeds of or dry ginger powder showed significant superiority in all productive traits. Which contained 1and 2% crushed black seeds respectively exhibited the highest egg production percentage(H.D%)during all production followed by treatments 4 and 5 which contained 1and 2% dry ginger powder respectively during the last three pro-duction periods . T2, T3 AND T4 showed the best feed efficiency means during the whole production period. However no significant difference between treatments in egg weight and weight gains of birds during whole production period. Results of this study revealed that the addition of crushed black seeds and ginger powder to the diets showed a significant superiority in all productive traits , therefore the addi-tion of such medicinal plants to the productive diets will enhanced the performance of the birds .