The effect of dietary levels of Peganum harmala seed powder on performance and carcass characteristics of broilers

In order to evaluate the effect of dietary levels of Peganum harmala seed powder (PHS) on performance and carcass characteristics of broilers, an experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 4 replicates of 18 birds in each for 6 weeks. The experimental treatments included control diet (containing corn and soybean meal) and diets 2, 3 and 4 contained 0.02 percent virginiamycin growth promoter antibiotic, 0.25 and 0.50 percent PHS, respectively. The feed intake, body weight, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio were measured at the end of each production period and also in whole experimental period and mortalities were recorded daily. At the end of experimental period, two birds were selected from each replicate, slaughtered and carcass and abdominal organ characteristics and weight and length of different parts of intestine were measured. The results of this study showed that in grower, finisher and whole production periods, the feed intake, body weight and body weight gain of chickens fed diet containing 0.50 percent PHS were significantly (P<0.05) lower than those of other treatments. The abdominal fat percentage of chickens fed diet containing 0.50 percent PHS was highly significantly (P<0.01) lower and their proventriculus, gizzard and duodenum percentages were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those of other treatments. According to the results of this experiment, it seems that although the dietary utilization of PHS powder reduces performance however can increase broiler carcass quality and oxidative stability via reduction in abdominal fat percentage.