ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to evaluate the reproductive performance of Nigerian indigenous chicken (cock) fed diet with graded levels of Turmeric Rhizome Powder (TRP). The objectives of the study includes; to determine the effect of TRP on the blood profile, carcass characteristics (relative organ weight), and to evaluate the effect of TRP supplemented diet on the reproductive and growth performance of Nigerian indigenous cocks.   One hundred and twenty (120) adult local breeder cocks divided into 4 groups with 30 birds in each group were used for the study. The birds in the experimental groups designated as T₁, T₂, T₃, and T₄ were fed with TRP supplemented diet at various inclusion levels, 0.0%, 0.25%, 0.50 %, and 0.75%, respectively for 8 weeks. The blood samples collected from the treatment groups and analyzed using Hemo-analyzer showed a gradual (p<0.05) decline or decrease in the haematology and serum parameters in the TRP groups compared with the control. Semen samples were also collected using abdominal massage technique from all the experimental groups and analyzed. From the results obtained, the group fed with 0.50 % inclusion had the highest semen volume 0.80 ± 0.06 ml significantly (p<0.05) better than the mean volume of 0.49±0.08 ml in the group without Turmeric powder. The semen consistency, motility, total number of viable spermatozoa, the total number of sperm cell/ejaculate, and the reproductive morphometric were significantly (p<0.05) improved in the TRP supplemented group better than the control group. Sperm cell concentration was increased from 3.35 ± 0.07 in the control group to the range 4.05 ± 0.18 – 4.75 ± 0.22 10⁶/cell in the TRP groups. The TRP did not significantly (p> 0.05) affect the spermatozoa morphology in all the treatment groups. The result of the seminal plasma biochemistry showed that the graded levels of turmeric especially at 0.50 % significantly (p<0.05) elevated the values of seminal glucose, albumin, and potassium, calcium, chloride ions which is believed to be the reason for the improved semen quality recorded in this study. The turmeric at 0.50 % inclusion level significantly (p<0.05) enhanced the reproductive morphometric characteristics evaluated in this study. The growth performance and the carcass yield were significantly (p<0.05) improved, with an average weight of 1.33 kg of the experimental birds in the Turmeric groups. In conclusion, turmeric powder supplemented diet at 0.25, and 0.5 % inclusions performed better in improving the growth performance, the reproductive morphometric, seminal plasma biochemistry and the semen characteristics of Nigerian indigenous cocks. From the study, to achieve a better growth performance and good semen quality of the Nigerian indigenous cocks with little or no effect on the blood profile, 0.5 % inclusion level is highly recommended.