Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University
Doi
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the benefits of adding Thai rice paddy herb (Limnophila aromatic (Lam.) Merr.) powder to the diet of Thai native chickens. Using a randomized completely block design (RCBD), 200 mixed-gender chickens were assigned to groups that received varying amounts of rice paddy herb powder (RPHP): 0% (Control), 1% (RPHP1), 2% (RPHP2), and 3% (RPHP3), along with oxytetracycline (OTC) at 0.25% in the diet. The addition of RPHP to the diet did not result in significant changes in body weight, body weight gain, or average daily gain (P>0.05). When compared to the control group, the RPHP-supplemented group had significantly lower feed intake and feed conversion ratio (P0.05). In contrast, the inclusion of OTC increased total feed costs, resulting in a lower benefit-cost ratio (P0.05). Additionally, supplementation of RPHP, particularly RPHP3, increased SOD and T-AOC levels in meat while decreasing O2- and MDA levels (P<0.05). Taken together, these findings indicated that Thai native chickens fed Thai rice paddy herb powder increased feed efficiency without changing meat quality or carcass characteristics. The inclusion of RPHP at a concentration of 3% in the diet showed potential in enhancing the antioxidant properties of meat
