ABSTRACT

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of different processing methods on proximate composition of ginger and its value as feed additives in the diet of broiler chickens. In Experiment 1, the proximate compositions of Sliced sun dried (SSD), Sliced air dried (SAD), Fresh ground sun dried (FGSD), Fresh ground air dried (FGAD) and Raw ginger were determined. In Experiments 2 and 3; the effect of the different processing methods of ginger and graded levels of FGSD ginger meal on broiler chickens were determined. In Experiment 2 :A total of 240 unsexed Arbor Acre day old broiler chicks were randomly allocated into four experimental diets of 60 birds each and replicated four times with 15 birds per replicate in a 2*2 factorial experiment in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) for 56 days feeding trial. Four experimental broiler starter and finisher diets were formulated such that diets 1, 2, 3 and 4 contained 1% each of sliced and sun-dried (SSD) sliced and air-dried (SAD), fresh ground and sun-dried (FGSD) and fresh ground and air-dried (FGAD), respectively. The diets were fed for 0-28 and 29-56 days of age, respectively. In Experiment 3: A total of 300 unsexed Arbor Acre day old broiler chicks were randomly allocated into five experimental diets of 60 birds each and replicated four times with 15 birds per replicate in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) for 56 days feeding trial. Five experimental broiler starter and finisher diets were formulated such that the diets contained 0.0 (control), 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.0% (T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5) FGSD ginger respectively. The diets were fed for 0-28 and 29-56 days of age, respectively. FGSD ginger meal recorded highest crude protein, ether extract, crude fibre and ash values with least moisture and nitrogen free extract than others. Starter and finisher broiler chickens fed FGSD ginger diet had higher growth performance, carcass yield and cut parts, internal organs proportion, haematological parameters, biochemical indices, nutrient composition of meat, fecal component and economics of production that those of other processed ginger groups. Starter and finisher broiler chickens fed 0.5% FGSD ginger diet had significant (P<0.05) higher growth performance, carcass yield and cut parts, internal organs proportion, haematological parameters, biochemical indices, nutrient composition of meat, fecal component and economics of production than control.  Starter broilers fed ginger supplemented diets had more net income differences of N18.12, N37.86, N24.01 and N1.51 for T2, T3, T4 and T5 respectively per bird than control group while the finisher broilers had more net income difference of N41.02, N132.83, N102.67 and N42.18 for T2, T3, T4 and T5 respectively per bird than control group. Birds fed FGSD ginger diets had best FCR of 2.24 followed by FGAD ginger (2.30), SAD ginger (2.34) and SSD ginger (2.37) respectively. It is concluded that grinding fresh ginger before sun-drying gave a better proximate composition and performance of broiler chickens and should be used as processing method in feed production. Dietary inclusion 0.5% FGSD ginger in broiler diets promoted better performance, reduced litter/ faecal moisture, nitrogen and phosphorus in faeces. The use FGSD ginger at 0.5% dietary inclusion level in broiler diets should be encouraged for better productivity.