Impact of Dietary Garlic Inclusion on Microbial Population in the Intestinal Content in Broiler
Hamdein Mutwakel *
Faculty of Science and Technology, Merowe University of Technology (Abdulatif Alhamad), Sudan.
Ibrahim Elimam
Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalanj University, Sudan.
Khalid Khalifa
Faculty of Animal Production, University of East Kordofan, Sudan.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The present study aimed to assess the impact of garlic (Allium sativum) powder as a dietary supplement on the microbial population in broiler chickens. A total of 120 unsexed day-old broiler chicks (Cobb 500) were randomly assigned to four treatment groups (n=30), with each group further divided into three replicates, following a completely randomized design (CRD) over a 42-day period.
The control group (C) received a basal diet without additives or antibiotics, while experimental groups (T1, T2, and T3) were supplemented with garlic powder at inclusion rates of 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.6%, respectively, starting from the second week of feeding. Feed intake was monitored throughout the study.
At the end of the experiment, birds were slaughtered, and microbial counts were recorded. Statistical analysis revealed a highly significant (P ≤ 0.001) positive effect of garlic powder supplementation, leading to the complete absence of Salmonella spp. in the ileo-cecal digesta.
Keywords: Garlic, broiler, Escherichia coli, Salmonella