Abstract

An experiment was conducted for a period of 42 days to assess the efficacy of herbal methionine (Nutrimethionine) supplementation on the performance of broiler chicken reared on deep litter. A total of 180 day old chicks (Vencobb 400) were divided into one control and three treatment groups, each group with three replicates of 15 birds per replicate. Group I (GI) of birds was kept as control and fed the basal diet without any supplemental Methionine. Group II (GII) of birds was fed the basal diet supplemented with synthetic DL-Methionine @ 100g per quintal. Group III (GIII) of birds were fed the basal diet supplemented with Nutri-Methionine @ 100g per quintal feed in the diet. Group IV (GIV) of birds was fed the basal diet supplemented with 50g Nutrimethionine and 50g DL-Methionine per quintal of feed in the diet. The body weight of birds fed combination of herbal Methionine (Nutrimethionine) and DL-methionine (GIV) was significantly (P< 0.05) higher when compared with the other treatment groups and control group. Also the groups supplemented with DL-methionine and herbal methionine had significantly higher body weights than the control group. Cumulative feed intake was comparable among the groups of birds fed diets supplemented with synthetic Methionine or herbal methionine or both. However, feed intake was significantly (P

Key words: Broiler Chicken, Performance, Synthetic Methionine, Herbal Methionine