Asian Journal of Research in Animal and Veterinary Sciences

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of turmeric (Curcuma domestica Val.) powder and multi-enzyme supplementation on the production performance of broiler chickens, particularly focusing on feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and production index.

Study Design: The experiment was conducted using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five dietary treatments and five replications for each treatment.

Place and Duration of Study: The field trial was conducted in a closed-house poultry facility located in Kalipare District, Malang, Indonesia, over a 35-day rearing period.

Methodology: This study employed a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five treatments and five replications. A total of 300 day-old Lohmann MB202 P broiler chickens were randomly allocated into five dietary treatment groups: P0 (Control): without feed additive supplementation, P1: 0.3% turmeric powder + 0.01% multienzyme, P2: 0.6% turmeric powder + 0.01% multienzyme, P3: 0.9% turmeric powder + 0.01% multienzyme, and P4: 1.2% turmeric powder + 0.01% multienzyme. Each experimental unit consisted of 12 birds housed in a closed-house pen, resulting in a total of 60 birds per treatment group. All birds were reared for 35 days under standard commercial management practices with ad libitum access to feed and water. The basal diet was formulated to meet the nutritional requirements of broilers based on standards. Parameters measured included feed intake (g/bird), body weight gain (g/bird), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and production index (PI). Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and if significant differences were found (P<0.05) Duncan’s Multiple Range Test was used as a post hoc comparison.

Results: The supplementation of turmeric and multi-enzyme did not significantly affect feed intake (P>0.05), which ranged from 3772.37 g (P4) to 3916.53 g (P0). However, highly significant effects (P<0.01) were observed on BWG, FCR, and PI. The best performance was recorded in P4, with the highest BWG (2491.99 g), the most efficient FCR (1.49), and the highest PI (488.18). In contrast, the control group (P0) showed the lowest values in all parameters: BWG (2151.85 g), FCR (1.79), and PI (347.31).

Conclusion: The combination of 1.2% turmeric powder and 0.01% multi-enzyme significantly enhanced broiler production efficiency, particularly in terms of growth rate, feed conversion, and production index, despite not increasing feed intake significantly. These findings suggest that this combination is a safe and effective alternative to antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) and is recommended for practical application in sustainable poultry production systems.