A total of 160 one-day old unsexed (Habbard) broiler
chicks were randomly distributed into 4 groups of 40
chicks per group. Each group was further subdivided
into 5 replicates with 8 chicks per each. The chicks of
each replicate were housed in a pen (1 square meter)
in an open-sided deep litter house. The garlic bulbs
(Allium sativum) which were purchased from local
market desegmented into cloves then cut into chips.
The chips were sun dried, grounded to fine powder
and then added to the basal diets at the levels (0.0, 2,
3 and 4%) resulting in four formulae respectively to
group A, B, C and D with group A serving as control
group. All the experimental diets were formulated to
meet the nutrient requirements of broiler chicks
according to NRC (1994) which was formulated from
the local feed ingredients commonly used for poultry
feeding in the Sudan. The experimental diets were fed
for 6-weeks duration where two phases of feeding
program involved in supplying starter (1-21 days of
age) and finisher (22-42 days of age). Calculated
analysis of the experimental basal diets was done
according to feedstuff analysis outlined by Ellis
(1981), while determined chemical analysis was
conducted by the method of AOAC (1995).
Ingredients, proximate analysis and calculated
analysis for the experimental basal diets are shown in
Tables (1 & 2), respectively, while chemical
composition of the super concentrate used in the basal
diets is shown in Table (3). Feed and water were
offered ad-libitum. The light was continuous
throughout the experimental period. The performance
of the experimental birds in term of feed intake, live
weight gain and feed conversion ratio were recorded
weekly. Health of the experimental stock and
mortality rate were closely observed and recorded
daily. At the end of 6th week the experimental birds
were individually weighed after overnight fast
(except for water) then slaughtered without stunning.
They were then scalded, manually plucked, washed
and allowed to drain on wooden tables. Evisceration
was performed by a ventral cut and visceral as well as
thoracic organs were removed. After evisceration
internal organs (heart, liver and gizzard) were
removed, weighed individually and expressed as
percentage of slaughtered weight. Eviscerated
carcasses were weighed and then chilled in a
refrigerator for 24 hours at 4oC. Cold carcasses were
recorded.