Response of Sudani Ducklings to Dietary Echinacea purpurea Addition on Growth Performance and Economic Efficiency

Abstract

A 360 - Sudani ducklings (180 ♂+ 180 ♀) - 26 d-old, weighed and allocated for eight groups (four groups from each sex) to assess the impact of dietary Echinacea purpurea (EP) addition (0, 2.5, 5.0 and 7.50 g/kg diet) in a factorial design (4 × 2) on productive performance and economical efficiency during summer season. Results indicated that, all studied traits of growth performance were (P ≤ 0.01) higher for ducklings males than females through the studied period (26-110 day). However, dietary EP addition resulted in a significant (P≤0.01) improvement in body weight gain and feed efficiency during the whole studied period than control. Dietary EP addition (P≤0.01) enhance lymphocytes (L) cells (%), decrease in heterophils (H) cells (%) and H/L ratio than the control. Serum triglycerides was significantly increased for females than males ducklings, whereas, it significantly attenuated by EP supplementation comparing with control. Antioxidant enzymes activity were significantly enhanced by different EP addition, while MDA was significantly decreased comparing with control group.Abdominal fat (%) was significantly attenuated by EP addition than the control, but total edible parts (%) was (P≤0.01) higher with 5.00 and 7.50 g EP/kg addition. Economic efficiency significantly enhanced by feeding 2.50 g EP/ kg diet than the control and other EP groups. So that, dietary EP addition with 2.5 g/ kg could be maximize and improve the growth, carcass traits and economical efficiency of Sudani ducklings especially males during growth period under Egyptian summer conditions.