The Ameliorating Effects of Garlic (Allium sativum) against Lead (Pb) Intoxication on Body Weight, Dressing Percentages, Feed Consumption and Feed Conversion Ratio in Lead Induced Broiler Chickens

Lead (Pb) has extensive commercial and industrial use despite of its recognized as health hazard. The therapeutic application of garlic (Allium sativum) was investigated for preventing the toxic effect of lead (Pd) in lead exposed chickens. 350 commercial broiler chickens were grouped into five such as T0, T1, T2, T3 and T4consisting of 70 birds each where T0 served as control. T1 was provided with lead acetate at 100mg/kg body weight, T2 had 100mg/kg lead acetate + 1% garlic supplement, T3 was fed with 100mg/kg lead acetate + 2% garlic supplement and T4 had 100mg/kg lead acetate + 4% garlic supplement for 42 days. Garlic was found to be capable of elimination of lead (Pb). Analysis of variance statistically revealed that significant (P<0.01) lower level of live weight (g), carcass weight (g) and eviscerated fresh carcass weight (%) were 2015.26±49.73, 1124.45±11.67 and 60.63±3.18, respectively in the chickens in group T1 at 42nd day of treatment in comparison to other groups. All garlic treatment groups satisfactorily increased live weight and carcass weight. Following the application of dietary garlic, mean values of live weight (g), carcass weight (g) and eviscerated fresh carcass weight (%) were significantly (P<0.01) increased at 2156.63±74.52, 1455.85±9.21 and 63.96±2.18 in group T3. Feed conversion ratio showed non-significant differences between different groups, but the most significant (P<0.01) FCR values were recorded in T3 among the treatment groups. It can be recommended from the present study that garlic might be played an active role to antagonize lead (Pb) toxicity.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjvm.v12i1.20453 Bangl. J. Vet. Med. (2014). 12 (1): 1-7