Laying Performance and Egg Quality Traits of Vanaraja Birds as Influenced by Dietary Supplementation of Turmeric Powder

ABSTRACT: The present study was conducted to use turmeric powder as an alternative to antibiotics properties. The current study was designed to determine laying performance, albumin index, yolk index, haugh unit, and yolk cholesterol as influenced by different levels of turmeric powder dietary
supplementation. The experimental birds were randomly divided into four treatment groups designated as T1, T2, T3 and T4 with thirty (30) chicks in each group having five replicates of six (6) birds each. They were
subjected to four dietary levels of turmeric powder containing 0%, 0.5%, 0.75%, and 1.5%, respectively, for a period of 365 days. The overall level of statistical significance was defined as p<0.05. The significance
of the result was evaluated using an analysis of variance (ANOVA) in the computer software WASP. Dietary supplementation with turmeric powder improved laying performance and enhanced egg quality traits. Yolk index and albumen index increased (p<0.05) while yolk cholesterol decreased with the increase in the level of turmeric powder. On the basis of the above findings, supplementation of turmeric powder at 0.75 per cent of feed can be recommended under Nagaland's agro-climatic conditions.
CONCLUSIONS
Turmeric powder supplementation at the rate of 0.75 resulted in better performance in egg production and egg quality traits of Vanaraja birds as compared to the control group. Therefore, on the basis of the above
findings, the use of turmeric powder as a feed additive at the rate of 0.75 in poultry diets may be advocated for better production performance and for producing betterquality eggs.