Interactive effects of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) seed extract supplementation and dietary metabolisable energy levels on the growth performance, total tract digestibility, blood profiles, and excreta gas emission in broiler chickens

The present experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of fenugreek seed extract (FSE) supplementation of broiler diets containing two levels of metabolisable energy (ME) on the growth performance, nutrient retention, blood profile, and excreta gas emission. A total of 816, day-old broilers (Ross 308) were allotted to four treatments, with 12 replications and 17 broilers per replication for 28 days. Experimental treatments consisted of a 2 × 2 factorial design with two dietary energy levels [high ME or low ME (high ME – 100 kcal less], and two levels of supplemental FSE (0% or 0.1%). The results showed that broilers fed with high ME or 0.1% FSE diet during 1–14 days showed improvement in bodyweight gain, compared with low ME or no FSE treatment, respectively (P < 0.05). Total tract digestibility of dry matter and nitrogen of broilers fed with 0.1% FSE were observed to be higher than that with no FSE treatments (P < 0.05). The interaction between ME level and FSE supplementation for total- and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol was indicated by a significant decrease in total- and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol when FSE was added in a higher ME diet (P ≤ 0.05). Excreta ammonia gas emission in low ME or 0.1% FSE treatment was found to be lower than in high ME or no FSE treatments, respectively (P < 0.05). These results show that adding FSE at a level of 0.1% in diet can improve the early weight gain, total tract digestibility, and decrease excreta ammonia gas emission of broilers. In addition, reduction in total- and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol was observed to be more effective by the supplementation of 0.1% FSE in high ME groups.