Effect of turmeric (Curcuma longa Linnaeus) and ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) powder in feed on nutrient digestibility and performance of sunda porcupine (Hystrix javanica F. Cuvier)

Abstract

The experiment has been conducted to determine the effect of the addition of turmeric and ginger powder as antioxidants into the feed of young sunda porcupines (Hystrix javanica) at the Captivity of Small Mammals, Zoology Division, Research Center for Biology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences, Cibinong, Bogor Regency, West Java. The experiment lasted for 62 days, consisting of 2 periods namely Period I (PI) addition of turmeric powder as much as 0 g (T0); 0.3 g (T1); 0.6 g (T2); 0.9 g (T3) and Period II (PII) addition of ginger powder as much as 0 g (T0); 0.3 g (T1); 0.6 g (T2); 0.9 g (T3) in the feed. During the study, 8 sunda porcupines were placed in a cage space of 2.0 m x 2.25 m x 2.50 m respectively. The preliminary period for each period lasts 10 days and 21 days (3 weeks) for the data collection period. The highest average consumption of dry matter (DMI) in the PI is in the female porcupine T1 followed by a male porcupine and female T3, T0, male T1, and lowest female T2. In PII with the addition of ginger powder in the feed, dry matter intake (DMI) decreased in all treatments. Increased digestibility of nutrients T0<T1<T2<T3 occurs in both PI and PII. The digestibility of crude fat is lower than the digestibility of other nutrients in PI and PII. The average value of the use of feed efficiency in the PI increased in the administration of turmeric powder 0.3 g (T1), and decreased in T2 and T3, while feed efficiency in PII decreased in T1 and increased in the administration of ginger powder 0.6 g (T2), and lowest at T3. The performance of young sunda porcupine showed normal growth and no health problems occurred.