International Journal of Excellence Innovation and Development
||Volume 1, Issue 1, Nov. 2018||Page No. 014-017||
Efficacy of Foeniculum Vulgare Seeds Powder
on Feed Intake and Feed Conversion Ratio in
Broilers
Saleh Lemrabt1, Ram Pal Singh2, Kamin Alexander3, Pramod W. Ramteke4, Neeraj5
1
Ph.D Scholar, Department of Biological Sciences, SHUATS, Allahabad, U.P., India.
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, SHUATS, Allahabad, U.P., India.
3
Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, SHUATS, Allahabad, U.P., India.
4
Prof.(Dr.) Department of Biological Sciences, SHUATS, Allahabad , U.P., India.
5
Prof.(Dr.) Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, SHUATS, Allahabad , U.P., India.
Abstract––An experiment which fed with standard
broiler starter ration from day 1 to day 21 (3 weeks) and
then standard broiler finisher ration from day 22 to day
35 (4th and 5th weeks). The two types of ration (starter
and finisher) were supplemented with different levels of
deferent Foeniculum vulgare seeds powder. The
experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design
(RBD). There were four treatments like T0, T1, T2 & T3
and 28 chicks in each treatment were distributed. Chicks
of each treatment with variable proportions of (T
0:(control) basal diet with on supplement,
T1:Foeniculum vulgare seeds powder 250 gm+50 kg
diet, T2:Foeniculum vulgare seeds powder 500 gm+50
kg diet and T3:Foeniculum vulgare seeds powder 750
gm+50 kg diet). Combined supplements T3(Foeniculum
vulgare seeds powder 750 gm+50 kg diet) of feed gave
the best performance (p < 0.05) in all growth
performance traits – final body weight, weekly weight
gain, weekly feed intake and feed conversion ratio and
T0 the least. Administration of Foeniculum vulgare
seeds powder to broiler chickens increased their
performance as well as improved their general well-
being. It is, thus, recommended in broiler chicken
production.
Keywords––Foeniculum vulgare seeds powder, feed
intake, and FCR
INTRODUCTION
In the past decades poultry industry, the significance of
chicken meat represents up to 80 percent of the whole
meat production having their origin from birds. Meat
production is still the fastest increasing component in the
meat industry today. Analysis shows that, production
and as well as consumption of chicken meat, is bound to
rise because of good feed conversion when related to
other animal species. Poultry meats are healthy (low fat
and high protein content), has good sensory qualities,
low price and fast production which mean a short
generative time. Poultry diseases count a significant
limitation to the efficiency and productivity and hence
affects its profitability. Basically, the same range of
poultry pathogens are accountable for losses in livability
of poultry, production of eggs, chick’s growth rate and
feed efficiency worldwide (Shane, 2004). The poultry
growers who wants high performance from his/her
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broilers flock must carefully meet up with the bird’s
requirement suggested by controlled management
programmer. This requirement includes appropriate
housing, proper lighting, good nutrition, effective
disease control (Goodell, 1981).
Broiler production today occupies the place of pride in
the poultry industry. The growth and progress of the
commercial broiler farming during the last decades has
been spectacular. Scientific production and management
have made substantial progress to make broiler farming
the most fastest growing industry of Indian agriculture.
Aromatic plants are now more important because of its
antimicrobial activity. They possess biological activities
like that of antioxidants, as hypocholesterolemic, the
stimulant effect on animal’s digestive systems, to
increase digestive enzymes production and then improve
utilization of digestive products through enhanced liver
functions. In limited research, the inclusion of aromatic
plants in the feeds and water promotes feed intakes, feed
conversion ratio and carcass yield stated that fennel
(Foeniculum vulgare) is one of these aromatic plants
which is containing a significant percentage of fatty
acids, linoleic and stearic. Also, fennel has 16.81%
Trans - anethole pulse 47.20% estragole with a total
sweeting contents of 64.01% of essential oil. Indicated
that body weight was increased at the same time
improved feed conversion utilizing fennel components in
the diets. (Abdullah and Rabia, 2009).
Fennel seeds usually contain around 26% of essential oil
with trans-anethole as the key compound. The study of
growing Japanese quail in response to meals is enriched
with diverse levels of fennel seeds (0.25, 0.50 and 0.75
g/kg), it was finalized that live body weight gain in the
quail chicks meaningfully increased. Feed diet
encompassing 0.50 g/kg fennel seed achieved the
superlative values of feed conversion ratio, net return
together with the highest value of economic efficacy
between the experimental treatments. The inclusion of
fennel seeds in the basal diet (0.5%) and the combination
of fenugreek and fennel (0.25% + 0.25%) can improve
performance and also health conditions of the broiler
chicks. Treatments containing medical plants revealed
better performance with lower total number of bacteria
compared with the control.
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Efficacy of foeniculum vulgare seeds powder on feed intake and feed Lemrabt et al.

The weight and length of the small intestine together Vitamin A: 3,600,000 IU/kg; Vitamin D3: : 800,000
with the carcass yield in bird’s fed with medicinal plants IU/kg; Vitamin E: 7,200IU/kg; Vitamin K3: 800 mg/kg;
are usually higher than they are in the control. Major Vitamin B1: 720 mg/kg; VitaminB2: 2,640 mg/kg;
improvements in the final body weight and feed Vitamin B3 (Calcium Pantothenate): 4,000 mg/kg;
efficiency are recorded when broiler chickens were fed Vitamin B5 (Niacin): 12,000 mg/kg; Vitamin B6: 1,200
with a mixture of fennel added the diet. In addition, mg/kg; Vitamin B9(Folic acid): 400 mg/kg; Vitamin
chicks feed that has fennel significantly higher in B12: 6 mg/kg; Vitamin H2 (Biotin): 40 mg/kg; Choline:
number of red blood cells, hemoglobin and packed cell 100,000 mg/kg; Antioxidant: 40,000 mg/kg and 1mg/kg
volume attracts best results (Acimovicet al., 2016). Excipient; Mn: 39,680 mg/kg; Fe: 20,000 mg/kg; Zn:
33,880 mg/kg; Cu: 4,000 mg/kg; I: 400 mg/kg; Se: 80
mg/kg; Choline: 100,000 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg Excipient.
MATERIAL AND METHODS (Gharehsheikhlouet al., 2018).
The experiment was carried out at poultry farm at
Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying Sam Table 2: Nutritional value per 100 g. of fennel seeds.
Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology
Principle Nutrient Value Percentage of RDA
&Science, Allahabad, India, during year 2017. The
Energy 345 Kcal 17%
experimental technical programmer with one hundred
twelve (112) day old broiler chicks of the same day Carbohydrates 52.29 g 40%
hatch was procured at Broiler Production Unit. The Protein 15.80 g 28%
chicks were weighed, put mark to determine each chick Total Fat 14.87 g 48%
and distributed in to 4 groups of 28 chicks in each Cholesterol 0 mg 0%
treatment. Chicks of each treatment were further divided Dietary Fiber 39.8 g 104%
into 16 subgroups of 7 chicks in each. Chicks of each Vitamins
sub group were housed comfortably by providing space
Niacin 6.050 mg 37%
1 sq.ft per bird. All the chamber, feeders, water troughs
Pyridoxine 0.470 mg 36%
and other equipment were properly cleaned, disinfected
and sterilized before using them. The data on various Riboflavin 0.353 mg 28%
parameters viz, body weight of day-old chicks, weekly Thiamin 0.408 mg 34%
body weight, gain in weight, weeklyfeed consumption Vitamin A 135 IU 4.5%
and feed efficiency were recorded week and ANOVA Vitamin C 21 mg 35%
for the same was calculated by using RBD. Electrolytes
Sodium 88 mg 6%
Experimental design Potassium 1694 mg 36%
A total of 112-day old broiler chicks of same hatch was
Minerals
procured and were randomly divided into 7 groups as per
following dietary regimens: Calcium 1196 mg 120%
T0: ( control) basal diet with no supplement. Copper 1.067 mg 118%
T1: Foeniculum vulgare seeds powder 250 gm+50 kg diet. Iron 18.54 mg 232%
T2: Foeniculum vulgare seeds powder 500 gm+50 kg diet. Magnesium 385 mg 96%
T3: Foeniculum vulgare seeds powder 750 gm+50 kg diet. Manganese 6.533 mg 284%
Phosphorus 487 mg 70%
Table 1: Ingredients and nutrient composition of
Zinc 3.70 mg 33.5%
experimental diet.
Starter Finisher Table 3: Nutrient % for broiler starter.
Ingredients (%)
(1-21d) (22-35d) Nutrient Analysis T0 T1 T2 T3
Corn 54.789 63.765 Dry Matter (%) 89.212 89.462 89.712 89.962
Soybean Meal 38.733 30.51 Energy-ME (kcal/kg) 2800 3662.5 4525 5387.5
Oil-Vegetables 1.313 1.649 Crude Protein (%) 21.809 61.31 100.81 140.31
DL-Methionine 0.26 0.204 Calcium (%) 1.05 4.04 7.03 10.02
L-Lysine. HCl 0.152 0.16 Available.
0.5 1.71 2.93 4.15
L-Threonine 0.037 0.028 Phosphorus (%)
Na (%) 0.156 0.37 0.596 0.82
Choline Chloride 0.074 0
Lysine-TFD (%) 1.15 1.15 1.15 1.15
Di Ca- Phosphate 2.247 1.662
Methionine-TFD (%) 0.541 0.541 0.541 0.541
CaCO3 1.267 0.904
Methionine
Na-Bicarbonate 0.244 0.222 0.826 0.826 0.826 0.826
+Cysteine-TFD (%)
NaCl 0.183 0.196 Threonine-TFD (%) 0.748 0.748 0.748 0.748
Vit. & Mineral Mixture 0.6 0.6 Tryptophane-TFD (%) 0.223 0.223 0.223 0.223
Filler 0.1 0.1 Arginine-TFD (%) 1.294 1.294 1.294 1.294

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 International Journal of Excellence Innovation and Development
||Volume 1, Issue 1, Nov. 2018||Page No. 014-017||

Table 4: Nutrient % for broiler finisher. improvement in weight gain might be due to anti-
Nutrient Analysis T0 T1 T2 T3 protozoal and immunostimulatory properties of
Dry Matter (%) 88.964 89.214 89.464 89.714 Foeniculum vulgare seeds powder that help to reduce the
microbial load and improved the performance [Wankar,
Energy-ME (kcal/kg) 2935 3797.5 4660 5522.5
et al. (2009)]. In the contrary to our findings, there is
Crude Protein (%) 18.194 57.694 97.194 136.694 also some reports in which birds exhibited poor
Calcium (%) 0.776 3.766 6.756 9.746 performance and lower body weights in all treatment
Available. groups [Deore, et al. (2005)]. While some earlier reports
0.338 1.555 2.773 3.990
Phosphorus (%) showed no significant variations in weight gain of
Na (%) 0.155 0.37 0.595 0.815 broilers [Nidaullah, et al. (2010), Nnenna, and A.A.
Lysine-TFD (%) 0.976 0.976 0.976 0.976 (2013)].
Methionine-TFD (%) 0.455 0.455 0.455 0.455
Table 5: Average weekly mean feed intake of broiler
Methionine
0.71 0.71 0.71 0.71 chicks (g) in different treatments.
+Cysteine-TFD (%)
Threonine-TFD (%) 0.635 0.635 0.635 0.635 Treatments W1 W2 W3 W4 W5 Mean
Tryptophane-TFD (%) 0.185 0.185 0.185 0.185 T1 84.22 393.07 536.51 575.03 898.20 497.41
Arginine-TFD (%) 1.087 1.087 1.087 1.087 T2 72.28 381.22 524.46 557.19 862.58 479.54
T3 50.74 353.62 496.87 524.61 823.20 449.81
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION T4 52.34 355.09 505.34 528.58 804.09 449.09
Feed intake (g)
Mean 64.90 370.75 515.80 546.35 847.02
The data regarding feed intake of the chicks randomly
distributed into control (T0) and four different treatments
(T0, T1, T2, and T3) are presented in the Tables 5. From Mean of feed intake of broiler
the perusal of data on weekly feed intake of broilers, chicks(g)
contained in Table 5, it may be notedthat feedintake of 510
broilers, irrespective of treatments at one, two ,three 500
,four and five weeks of age was64.90, 370.75, 515.80, 490
546.35 and 847.02g, respectively. And the differences in 480
these were significant, indicating thereby a significant 470
effect of age on the feed intake of broilers in all 460
treatments. the results were expected, because under
450
normal phenomenon. The increase in feed intake with
440
increased age, is what are world expected with increase
430
of age. When treatment was feed intake was recorded,
the mean highest feed intake was significant in broilers 420
T0 T1 T2 T3
of T0(497.41), followed by T1(479.54), T2(449.81),
T3(449.09). And the differences in this volume were
found significant. This indicate that supplementation of Table 6: Average weekly mean FCR of broiler chicks (g)
Foeniculum vulgare seeds powder dietis influence the in different treatments.
feed intake of broilers. However, feed intake was Treatments W1 W2 W3 W4 W5 Mean
recorded lower in treatment groups compared to control.
T0 1.00 1.64 1.93 1.37 2.08 1.60
Results showed that supplementation of Foeniculum
vulgare seeds powder 750 gm+50 kg diet in ration T1 0.87 1.57 2.01 1.17 1.73 1.47
caused significant increase in growth in higher body T2 0.55 1.40 1.88 1.12 1.86 1.36
growth. T3 0.54 1.38 1.77 1.11 1.84 1.33
Mean 0.74 1.50 1.90 1.19 1.88
FCR (g.feed per kg of gain in weight)
The data regarding the feed conversion ratio of chicks
randomly distributed into control (T0) and four different Mean of FCR of broiler chicks(g)
treatments (T0, T1, T2, and T3) are presented in the Table
6. From the perusal of data on weekly FCR per broiler, 1.8
contained in Table 6, it may be noted that FCR per 1.6
broiler, irrespective of treatments at first, second, third, 1.4
fourth and fifth weeks of age was 0.74, 1.50, 1.90, 1.19 1.2
and 1.88 of age on the FCR of broilers in all treatments. 1
When treatment wise FCR was recorded highest FCR 0.8
observed in T0(1.60), followed by T 1(1.47), T2(1.36), 0.6
and T3(1.33)g. However these in accordance with the 0.4
results on feed on feed intake and gain in weight of 0.2
broilers. Similar findings with respect to improvement in 0
body weight gain was observed by earlier researchers T0 T1 T2 T3
[Zanu, et al. (2011) and Adeyemo, et al. (2013)]. The

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Efficacy of foeniculum vulgare seeds powder on feed intake and feed
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