Effect of adding different levels of lemon grass leaves Cymbopogon citratus to the diet and its extract in drinking water on the quality characteristics of the carcass to broiler Chickens (Ross 308)

Abstract

This experiment was conducted at the poultry farm of the college of Agriculture, University of Al-Qasim Green for the period from 18/9/2019 to 23/10/2019. The study was aimed to the effect of adding different levels of lemongrass leaves (Cymbopogon citratus) to the diet or its extract to drinking water on the qualitative qualities of the carcass to broiler chickens (Ross 308). In the experiment, 225 unsexed broiler chicks (Ross), which obtained from Al-Anwar hatchery, it the were randomly distributed on 15 pen, with 5 experimental treatments,45 birds for each treatment. Each treatment included three replicates per 15 birds. The treatments of the experiment were as follows: First treatment: control group free from any addition . The second treatment: a basic feed added to 10 g of lemon grass / kg feed, the third treatment: a basic feed added with 20 g of lemon grass / kg feed, The fourth treatment: adding 100 ml of the aqueous extract of the lemongrass / liter of drinking water, and the fifth treatment: adding 200 ml of the aqueous extract of the lemongrass liter of drinking water. The experiment included studying the following characteristics: the relative weights of the main and secondary carcass parts, and the relative weights of the eating giblets. As for the live body weight before slaughter and the weight of the carcass, the results showed that the fourth treatment and the fifth treatment were significantly higher than the rest of the experiment.