EFFECT OF ADDING DIETARY LOCAL GUJARAT (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) POWDER ON SOME BIOCHEMICAL ATTRIBUTES, ANTIOXIDANTS, AND VISCERAL  MICROBAL CONTENTS OF BROILER     

This study aimed to investigate the influence of dietary local Gujarat (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) powder (LGP) supplementation on some biochemical attributes, antioxidants, and visceral bacterial contents of the broiler. This study was conducted at the Poultry Farm belonging to the Animal Production Department, College of Agriculture, Shoraw, University of Kirkuk. Three hundred unsexed one-day-old chicks of Ross 308 broiler were divided randomly into six treatments, with five duplicates per treatment and ten birds per replicate. The birds were fed on diets supplemented with LGP at 0.5, 1, and 2% for the treatments T3, T4, T5, and T6 respectively, while the T2 group was supplemented with BHT. The results showed a significant (P≤0.05) decrease in the concentration of LDL, VLDL cholesterol, triglycerides, MDH, and the kidney and E. coli bacterial count for the groups supplemented with Gujarat powder compared to the control group. A significant (P≤0.05) increase in HDL, GSH concentrations, and lactic acid bacteria count was observed for the sixth treatment compared with the control group. The differences in the total protein, albumin, and globulin concentrations for all treatments lacked significance. Moreover, a significant increase in glucose concentration was noticed in groups supplemented with LGP. In conclusion, LGP supplementation can improve some blood biochemical attributes and broiler chickens' antioxidant and visceral lactic acid bacterial contents. Keywords: Hibiscus sabdariffa, Cholesterol, Malondialdehyde, Glutathione, Broiler chicken.