ANBAR JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES

Abstract

This study was carried out at the Poultry Research Station (Ministry of Agriculture, Iraq). The duration of this study was from 28-11-2010 to 15-5-2011 to evaluate the antioxidant activity of different levels of crushed seeds of Apiumgravelns and Zingberofficinale on reproductive traits of broiler breeder hens (Arber Acres) and hatch weight of its chicks. A total of 432 parent and 36 rosters at 27 weeks of age were used in this study. Parents were randomly distributed to 9 treatments. Experimental treatments were as follow: T1 (control diet) without any supplementation; T2 and T3 included addition of 2.5 and 5.0 kg/ton of crushed ginger; T4 and T5 included 2.5 and 5.0 kg/ ton crushed seeds of celery and T6, T7, T8 and T9 included combinations of crushed celery seeds and ginger of 2.5 and 5.0 kg/ ton. The results indicated an improvements in fertility and hatchability (total and fertile eggs), fertility improvements estimated as 1.8- 10.6%, hatchability of total eggs 3.88- 6.47% and hatchability of fertile eggs as 6.93- 14.56% compared to control treatment. In addition, there were an increasing in chick body weight at hatching as a essential reason to interior physiological improvement because of antioxidant activity of nutritional additives.