Effects of Soyabean Oil and Garlic-in-Water Supplementation on Performance, Carcass Trait, Organs Weight, Haematology, and Serum Cholesterol Content of Finisher Broiler Chickens

A four weeks feeding trial was conducted using 160 four-week old Arbor acre chickens to assess the effects of soyabean oil and garlic (Allium sativum) in-water on performance, carcass characteristics, organs weight, haematological variables and serum cholesterol content of broiler birds. They were allotted to 4 treatments of 10 birds (5 males and 5 females) per replicate in a 2×2 factorial arrangement in which there were two diets (non-soyabean oil and soyabean oil diets) with or without garlic supplementation in drinking water. The final live weight of birds were significantly (P<0.01) increased by the dietary treatments with broilers fed soyabean oil-based diet having significantly (P<0.05) higher weight gain than those fed the non-soyabean oil diet. Also, birds without garlic supplementation consistently had higher weight (P<0.01) than those offered garlic in drinking water. The water intake of birds given water supplemented with garlic (5.54; 5.64 L/bird) was significantly (P<0.05) lower than those without garlic supplementation (5.95; 5.83 L/bird). The haematological variables, serum cholesterol content, carcass characteristics and relative organs weight of the chickens were not significant different (P>0.05). The interactions of dietary oil supplementation and garlic-in-water was not significant (P>0.05) for all measured indices. Conclusively, supplementation of diet with soyabean oil led to better broiler performance and garlic-in-water failed to neither lower abdominal fat deposition nor reduce serum cholesterol.