Effect of different ratios of chicory root on the performance, digestibility and immune system parameters in broilers

The effects of chicory root powder on performance, digestibility, immune system and carcass characteristics of broilers were investigated using 360 pieces of Ross 308 strain day-old broiler chicks (male and female), in a completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 5 replicates and in a growth period of 1-42 days of age. The experimental treatments were consisted of a basal diet and diets containing the levels of 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75 percentages ofchicory root powder. Feed intake and weight of birds were measured periodically and body weight gain and feed conversion ratio were calculated. Nutrient digestibilities were measured at 33-36 days of age. The use of chicory root powder in the feed of broilers caused an improvement in feed conversion ratio at 1-14 and 28-42 days of age (P<0.05), but had no significant effect on perfomance traits in the whole of experimental period. The digestibility of protein and fat in broilers fed with 0.75% chicory root powder were higher than the other diets (P<0.05). The relative weight of liver decreased in broilers fed with chicory root powder (P<0.05). Feeding of broiler chickens with 0.25 percent dietary chicory root powder increased the number of lymphocytes and decreased the number of heterophils (P<0.05). According to the results of this experiment, the use of 0.25, 0.50 and 0.75% chicory root powder in broiler ration does not have significant effect on production performance of broiler chickens but improves the immune system activity of broilers.