Response of coloured broilers to dietary addition of geloi (Tinospora cordifolia) during extreme summer

Performance of coloured broiler chickens (n=112, day-old) fed diets with or without addition of Geloi (Tinospora cordifolia) during extreme summer (May-June, 380C to 430C) was assessed. Fresh plant stems identified and authenticated from Botanical Survey of India, Central National Herbarium, Howrah, India were collected from the natural habitat away from the arial pollution, The stems were washed with distilled water, air dried under shed, then powdered in an electrical grinder and stored in air tight container at room temperature for use. Four dietary treatments were prepared by adding different levels of dried stem powder (0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3% of diet) in practical broiler starting (0–3 wk) and finishing (3–6 wk) diets. There was no significant difference in body weight gain during starting phase but the broilers fed diet with 0.1% root powder had higher (P<0.001) gain during finishing and overall growth phases. Feed intake was lower (P<0.001) and FCR improved (P<0.05) on addition of geloi at any level. Carcass traits viz. shrinkage-loss, liver, gizzard and eviscerated yield remained comparable but blood-loss, feather-loss, giblet, heart and dressed yield differed among treatments. The yields of wing and thigh remained similar but that of breast (P<0.05) and drum stick (P<0.05) increased with reduction of back yield (P<0.001) on Geloi addition. The cell-mediated immune response, relative weight of immune organs, haemoglobin level, lipid peroxidase activities and oxidative stress factor did not differ among dietary treatments but humoral immune response against sheep red blood cells improved (P<0.001) on addition of geloi at any level. Lower levels of reduced glutathione (P<0.05) and H:L ratio (P<0.08) were lowest at 0.3% level. It was concluded that addition of dried fresh geloi (Tinospora cordifolia) stem powder in diet (0.1%) of growing coloured broilers is beneficial to improve growth, feed utilization efficiency, breast yield and welfare aspects of birds during extreme summer months.