Effect of herbal supplement on growth response and faecal egg counts of cockerels.

This study was carried out on 180 day-old cockerels to determine their growth response and faecal egg counts to herbal supplement administration. The birds were brooded and allotted to four treatment groups of 45 birds with three replicates of 15 birds each. The experimental treatment was based on the frequency of administration of the herbal supplement: Control, Weekly, Fortnightly, and every three weeks. Data on growth response and microbial counts were taken. Data obtained were subjected to One-way Analysis of Variance in a Completely Randomised Design. Herbal supplement had significant (P 0.05) influenced by herbal supplement except Feed: Gain and average weight gain. The best Feed: Gain value and average weight gain was obtained in birds administered the herbal supplement weekly (treatment 2). Conclusively, herbal supplement (extracts) can serve and be used as antibiotic alternatives in poultry for better performance and utilization of feed in terms of feed: gain and weight gain particularly to control the growth of harmful bacteria.