Effect of dietary garlic powder and probiotics supplementation on growth performance of male Ross 308 broilers

This study was conducted to evaluate the growth performance of male classic broiler chickens whose feed was supplemented with either garlic powder, probiotics or both. A total of 120 day-old male Ross 308 broiler chickens were divided into 4 groups: first group – control; second group: fed feed supplemented with Lactobacillus spp. probiotic combination; third group: fed feed supplemented with 0.4% garlic powder and fourth group: fed both 0.4% garlic powder and Lactobacillus spp. The experiment lasted until the 35th day of age. The results showed that the highest live weight at the end of the experiment was established in the group supplemented with probiotic+garlic powder (2257.51±3.87g), and the lowest – in the control group (2171.37±4.71g). The group supplemented with probiotic+garlic powder exhibited the highest average weekly weight gain during the 2nd, 3rd and 4th week of life and the highest total weight gain (2211.58±3.91g). The groups fed probiotic and probiotic+garlic powder had the most efficient feed conversion ratios (1.43±0.2). During the study period, there was no substantial decline in the consumption of feed containing 0.4% garlic powder. The supplementation of feed with garlic powder+Lactobacillus spp., had a beneficial effect on the growth performance of broiler chickens. Our data, in line with those of other research studies, suggested that the addition of 0.4% garlic powder combined with Lactobacillus spp. to poultry feed increased meat production in broiler chickens.