الفهرس Only 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 152 |  |  |
| | | from | 152 | | |
Abstract
The experiment was designed to study the effects of feeding different sources and levels of Black Cumin Seed (Nigella sativa L.) as natural feed additives on physiological and productive performance of broiler chicks reared under hot climatic conditions. The experimental work was carried out at the Poultry Research Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt during summer season (July and August) of 2006.
A total of 280 unsexed one day old ”Ross” broiler (a commercial hybrid) chicks was reared in batteries in open house. Chicks were divided into 7 treatment groups of 40 chicks each (4 replicates each). Ambient temperature (°C) and relative humidity (%) inside the experimental room were recorded during the experimental period. Experimental diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric according to strain manual recommendation. Seven experimental diets were formulated, the first one (T1) served as a control, with no natural feed additives; the second and third diets (T2 and T3) were contained Nigella sativa oil (NSO) at two levels 0.5 and 1.0%, respectively. The fourth and fifth diets (T4 and T5), Nigella sativa seed (NSS) was added at two levels 1.0 and 2.0%, respectively, while the six and seven diets (T6 and T7) were contained Nigella sativa meal (NSM) at two levels 10 and 20%, respectively. Water and feed were offered ad-libitum during the experimental period, which lasted for 49 days. The digestibility coefficients of nutrients of the experimental diets were determined using three birds from each treatment at the end of the experiment. Trial was continued for five days after a preliminary period of three days.
The results showed that the addition of 10% NSM, 1.0% NSS or 0.5% NSO as natural feed additives in broiler diets improved physiological response (respiration rate, rectal temperature, physical properties of blood and plasma constituents) and productive performance (growth, livability, carcass characteristics, digestibility of nutrients and economic studies). However, addition of Nigella sativa as natural feed additives for broiler diets reared under hot climatic conditions reduces the harmful effects of high temperature.