Indian Journal of Animal Research
SCOPUSWeb of Science
  • Year: 2025
  • Volume: 59
  • Issue: 10

The Effect of Supplementing the Diet with Purple Garlic (Allium sativum) on Productivity Variables and Intestinal Morphometry in Broilers

  • Author:
  • D. Vargas1,*, C. Rosario2, B. Hernández1, S.I. Peña1, M.T. Casaubon2, S.C. Carlin3, M.E. Juárez4, M. Martinez3, I. Juárez3
  • Total Page Count: 5
  • Page Number: 1714 to 1718

1Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, P.C. 04510, Mexico

2Department of Birds Medicine and Zootechnics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, P.C. 04510, Mexico

3Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, P.C. 04510, Mexico

4Department of Animal Nutrition, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubiran, Mexico City, P.C. 14080, Mexico

*Corresponding Author: D. Vargas, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, P.C. 04510, Mexico, Email: dinorahvestrada@fmvz.unam.mx

Online published on 5 February, 2026.

Abstract

Garlic is considered a natural growth promoter in animals, but the effects on the productive performance of broilers are variable. Therefore, the impact on growth performance and intestinal morphometry were evaluated to know the impact of using different levels of purple garlic in the broilers’ diet.

Clinically healthy 1-day-old Cobb Vantress 500 broilers (n=98, with an equal number of two sex) were randomized into four dietary treatment groups. The birds of the T0 group were fed with a conventional diet, while the T1, T2 and T3 groups were fed with diets supplemented with 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3% of purple garlic.

The body weight gain (BWG) of the fattening female birds did not differ significantly (P<0.05) compared to the control. The BWG and the total benefit at T2 and T3 were considerably higher in males at 40 days. The duodenum showed that the values of the mean height of the villi were significantly (P<0.05) lower in T1 and T2 than in the other treatments. Purple garlic has a significant effect as a growth promoter in male broilers, supplemented at a higher rate of supplementation, i.e., 0.2 and 0.3% levels.

Keywords

Additive, Antibiotic growth promoter, Broiler, Intestinal morphometry, Natural feed supplement