The Effect of Using Different Levels of Cyperus Rotundus Tubers in the Diet on the Productive Performance Characteristics of Broilers

The experiment was conducted at the Poultry Research Station of the General Authority for Agricultural Research / Ministry of Agriculture from 12/5/2022 to 23/6/2022, the aim of studying the effect of adding different levels of Cyperus rotundus tuber powder to the diet on the productive performance of broiler chickens, using 225 chicks (Ross 308), one day old, with an average starting weight of 42.26 gm/chicks, distributed randomly to five treatments each treatment included 3 replications (15chicks/replicate), and the experimental treatments included the following: the first treatment (T1), the control treatment, was fed on the standard diet (without any addition), T2, T3, T4 and T5 was the addition of Cyperus rotundus tubers powder at a rate of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4%, respectively. The results showed a significant improvement (P<0.05) in the average live body weight, weekly weight gain, and feed conversion efficiency at ages 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 weeks in favor of the bird treatments fed on tuberculosis powder compared to the control treatment. It can be conclude from this study that the addition of tubers powder to broilers diets led to an improvement of productive performance of broilers.


Introduction
Recently, there has been a trend towards natural plant antioxidants, such as aromatic plants and their oils, which have a role in improving the digestion process and animal palatability for feed [1].This is what made it among the modern strategies for feed additives, as feeding the animal on feed supported by these additives will reduce the oxidation of some food components such as unsaturated fats.Additives such as herbs and medicinal plants enhance the flavor of the feed and its palatability by birds, which improves their intake of feed and this is reflected in the productive performance in the form Which guarantees the best rate of body weight, weight gain and feed conversion factor for birds such as garlic, thyme, dill, anise, artichoke leaves, fenugreek seed oil, cinnamon and oregano [2][3][4].These plants have many benefits compared to common commercial antibiotics, as they are safer for the health of both humans and animals due to the accumulation of antibiotic residues in animal products, which negatively affects consumer health.In addition, their use is more economical than antibiotics [5,6].During the past few years, a lot of research was conducted to study the hypothesis that provides for the support of the feed with antioxidants from plant sources to enhance the nutritional value of the meat produced and to maintain consumer safety [7,8], so the use of antioxidants as feed additives in feeding farm animals is increasingly common as a result of animal exposure to stress, and thus is reflected in the oxidation of protein and fats in the body, and this affects the quality and safety of the final product [9], and to preserve products by reducing oxidative deterioration.Natural antioxidants of plant origin are safe, non-toxic, and have a good effect on animal performance and the quality of animal products and their acceptance by consumers compared to industrial antibiotics.There is a growing interest in the nutritional aspect by adding plant antioxidant compounds because they are rich in phenols and polyphenols, which reduce the harmful effects of lipid peroxide by reducing monoaldhyde and increasing the level of tochopherol in tissues and its role in improving the quality of animal products [10,11].Cyperus rotundus is a monocotyledonous perennial herb aceous plant that belongs to the family Cyperaceae, it grows in high-moisture soils and reproduces by roots and tubers [12,13].Fibrous, the length of the tuber is 1-3.5 cm with a thickness of 12 mm.At the beginning of maturity, it is soft, milky white in color, and when ripe, it becomes dark reddish brown on the outside and reddish white on the inside, with a distinctive aroma.The tubers are the used part [14,15].It has been used for 2000 years in traditional medicine due to its abundance, cheap price, and efficiency in treating many diseases [16][17][18].It is considered one of the plants rich in chemical compounds with vital activity.The quality and percentage of these compounds differ according to the origin, due to the different environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and soil type.Table (1) shows the chemical composition of the tubers of Saad, as they contain a protein percentage ranging between 6.17-23.67%.It is also characterized by its high content of carbohydrates from 41.72-63.7%,crude fiber 8.8-11.6%,as for fats constitute 5.4-5.5% and ash 3.63-4.68% of the dry matter (78.19-90.89%)and moisture (9-12.88%)[19][20][21].

Materials and Methods
The experiment was conducted at the Poultry Research Station of the Animal Resources Research Department / General Authority for Agricultural Research / Ministry of Agriculture in Abu Ghraib Ethical standards were considered in all steps of performing procedures and animal handling and the study was approved by the Ethical Committee [Approval letter No. UoM.Dent/A.L.66/21].No. Um.VET.2021.5.for the period from 5/12/2022 to 6/23/2022 (42 days), 225 unsexed Ross308 broiler chicks were used.At the age of one day, with an average starting weight of 42.26 gm/chicken, the chicks were randomly distributed to five treatments (45 chicks/treatment) with three replications per treatment (15 chicks/repetition).The continuous lighting system was followed 23 hours a day, fodder and water were provided freely (ad libitum), a unified standard diet was provided for chicks that differed in the proportions of adding powdered tubers to it, and table (1) shows the proportions of the primary feed materials included in the composition of the standard diets used in the experiment and composition The chemical formula calculated according to the needs of Ross 308 breed broilers.The experimental treatments were as follows: treatment T1, control treatment free of any addition, treatment T2, T3, T4 and T5 adding tuberculosis powder at a rate of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4%, respectively.The tubers of were obtained from the local markets in Baghdad (Al-Shorja markets) and were purified from impurities and dust.Following this, the laboratories of the Ministry of Science and Technology's Division of Environment and Water's Division of Food Chemistry used [23], to qualitatively detect the tubers' chemical composition and active chemicals.Then it was ground and turned into a powder using the electric mill and in partial form for each of the prescribed quantity of the starter, growth and final ration, and was added gradually to distribute it in a homogeneous manner with the rest of the components of the ration.The chicks were weighed at the age of one day, and the live body weight was recorded every week for the duration of the experiment, and the birds were weighed weekly with a sensitive balance individually after cutting the feed for two hours before weighing, and the following equation was applied to find out the average weight of the bird within the one replicate [24].
Average live body weight of the bird(g)=(Total bird weights(g) per replicate)/(Total number of birds in the replicate) Feed consumption was tracked on a weekly basis by noting both the amount of feed supplied at the start of the week and the amount left over at the conclusion of the week, with the difference being computed using the equation given in [24] as: The amount of feed consumed weekly(g) = The feed provided at the beginning of the week(g) -Remaining feed at the end of the week(g).This equation was used to determine the average weekly food conversion ratio for the entire time period, as suggested by [24]: Food conversion raito=(Average amount of feed consumed per week(g) )/(Average weekly weight gain(g)) The ready-made statistical program SAS [25] was used and the CRD (Complete Randomize Design) was used in analyzing the data, and the differences between the coefficients of the first experiment were tested using Duncan's multi-level test [26], at a significant level of 0.05 and depending on the following mathematical model:

Live Body Weight
It appears from Table (3) that there is no significant difference to the effect of adding different levels of tubers on the average live body weight of broiler chickens between the addition treatments compared to the control treatment, but in the second week it was observed that there was a significant superiority (P < 0.05) in the average live body weight in favor of the addition treatments T2, T3, T4 and T5 compared to the control treatment T1, except for the treatment T5, as the differences were not significant between them and the control treatment.By the third week of the bird's life, the supplemental treatments had significantly outperformed the control treatment T1 (P 0.05).In week 4, T4 and T5 therapies fared better than T1 (the control therapy), but T2 and T3 showed no significant differences to T4 and T5 or T1 (the control treatment).By the time the birds are five weeks old, a statistically significant advantage (P≤0.05)favoring the addition therapies over the control treatment had become evident.The average avian body weight remained significantly higher in all addition treatments compared to the control treatment T1 through the sixth week.Table 3.Effect of using crushed tubers of cyperus rotundus with diet on average weekly live body weight (g/bird) (mean ± standard error) for broilers.
*If there are different letters in the same column, that means there are statistically significant variances between the mean therapies.N.S. indicates that there are no statistically significant differences between the means of the treatments, while P≤0.05 indicates that there are significant differences between the means of the treatments .T1 is the control treatment with no extras, whereas T2, T3, T4, and T5 each add 0.

Weight Gain
Table (4) shows the effect of adding different levels of tuberculosis on the average weekly weight gain of broiler chickens, as the results show that there are no significant differences for the addition treatments compared to the control treatment in the first week, while in the second week it was observed that the T4 treatment was significantly superior (P < 0.05).) compared to the control treatment T1, and the two treatments T1 and T4 did not differ significantly from the rest of the addition treatments T2, T3, and T5.As for the third week of the age of the birds, we notice that there are no significant differences between the addition treatments T2, T3, T4, T5 and the control treatment T1.In the fourth week, there was a significant superiority (P < 0.05) in favor of the T3 and T4 treatments compared to the control treatment T1, and the differences were not significant between the treatments T3, T4, T1, and the addition treatments T2 and T5.In the fifth week, T4 and T5 treatments recorded a significant superiority (P < 0.05) in the rate of weight gain compared to the control treatment T1, while these treatments did not differ significantly from the rest of the treatments T2 and T3.At the age of 6 weeks, the addition treatments agreed significantly (P < 0.05) compared to the control treatment T1.Differences between the mean treatments are represented by different letters within the same column.*It indicates that there are statistically significant differences between the mean treatments (P≤0.05), while N.S. indicates that there are no such differences.The treatments (T1 = no extras, T2 = 1%, T3 = 2%, T4 = 3%, and T5 = 0.4%) all involve the addition of crushed tubers of cyperus rotundus.

Feed Consumption
Table (5) displays the effects of four different doses of tuberculosis on the feed intake of broiler chickens over the course of a week.Treatments T2 and T1 (the control) show a significant increase in feed intake over treatment T4 (the experimental group), especially during the first week of the birds' lives (P≤0.05).There was no discernible difference between these and treatments T3 and T5.Treatment T2 significantly outperformed the control treatment T1 in terms of feed intake rate in the second week (P≤0.05).At weeks 3, 4, and 6, there was no discernible difference between the addition therapies T2, T3, T4, and T5, and the control therapy T1.After four weeks of similar feed consumption rates across treatments (T1, T2, T3, and T4), treatment T5 showed a considerable increase in feed consumption relative to the control treatment T1 and the other addition treatments.

Feed Conversion Ratio
Table (6) displays the impact of various tuberculosis additions on broiler chicken feed conversion factors.While there were no significant differences between experimental treatment groups in the first, second, or fifth weeks, there was a significant improvement (P0.05) in the food conversion factor in favor of the addition treatments compared to the control treatment T1 in the fourth week.The feed conversion factors for treatments T2, T3, T4, and T5 with additives were all significantly higher than those for the control treatment T1 by Week 6.
Table 5.Effect of using crushed tubers of cyperus rotundus with diet on average weekly feed consumption(g/bird) (mean ± standard error) for broilers.The presence of different letters within the same column indicates statistically significant differences between the mean therapies.*If the treatment averages are different at the P≤0.05 level of significance, then there is a treatment effect and if they are the same, then there is not.In treatments (T2), (T3), (T4), and (T5), crushed tubers of cyperus rotundus were added at concentrations of (0.1), (0.2), (0.3), and (0.4%), respectively.letters in a given column don't all look the same, then means there are statistically significant variances between the mean treatments.*There are statistically significant differences between the mean treatments (P≤0.05) and N.S. (not significant .)The treatments (T1 = no extras, T2 = 1%, T3 = 2%, T4 = 3%, and T5 = 0.4%) all include adding different amounts of crushed tubers of cyperus rotundus.

Discussion
Through the results, which indicate a significant improvement in live body weight, weight gain, feed consumption and feed conversion efficiency in favor of the Saad treatments compared to the control treatment, this improvement in the productive characteristics is due to the fact that the Saad tubers contain active compounds such as phenols, flavonoids and tannins [27], as flavonoids activate the process of manufacturing the hormone thyroxine and increase metabolic rates as well as support and manufacture proteins to build muscle mass in the body and thus act as growth catalysts by improving metabolism in favor of increasing the growth of muscle tissue [28,29] and this It is consistent with what was mentioned by Fiesel and others [30] that adding the powder of some plant sources rich in polyphenols to the diet as nutritional supplements for chickens can improve the flavor and palatability of the feed, which increases feed consumption and productive performance and increases the physical immunity of the bird.These plants have been proven to stimulate the secretion of digestive enzymes and thus It increases the digestion and absorption of nutrients and thus improves the rate of body growth and the cumulative weight gain due to an improvement in the food conversion factor [31,32] that the improvement in growth is also linked to the improvement of the body's immunity, as these compounds have proven their role as antibiotics for harmful microorganisms, inhibiting their pathogens in the intestine, and bringing about a balance in the intestinal flora [33].The results came in agreement with what Al-Alwani [34], concluded about a significant improvement in the body weight rates of broiler chickens when adding 20 gm of tuberculosis powder / kg feed, and with the results of the study conducted by Hassan [19], when feeding quails at different levels of Saad tubers powder (0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6%) for a period of 42 days, they noticed a significant improvement in the average live body weight in favor of the Saad treatments.And with the findings of [35], when feeding rabbits on a growth diet with different levels of tuberculosis powder (0, 8, 16, 24, 32, 40%), it was observed through the results that a significant increase in live body weight and daily weight gain rates only In favor of the treatment of 16%, compared to the control treatment and the rest of the treatments, as the high levels of tubers of tubers recorded a decrease in body weight rates due to the high level of fiber, which causes a decrease in growth rates [36].[19], indicated that a significant improvement was observed in the rate of weight gain for the two treatments of 0.2 and 0.4% of tuberculosis powder on the control treatment, while a decrease occurred in the rate of weight gain with an increase in the percentage of adding tuber powder to the treatment by 0.6%, as a result of the high taste of soapy compounds.The pungent bitterness which reduces feed consumption, [37], observed when feeding broilers of 56 days of age and [38], when feeding roosters on a diet with high levels of tuberculosis powder 33.33, 67.67 100% as a substitute for maize, there was no significant effect on live body weight and weight gain at levels 33.33 and 67.66%, but the high percentage of addition to 100% led to a decrease in body weight and weight gain due to the high percentage of fiber in the tubers and the absence of cellulose and hemicellulose enzyme of the small intestine in the digestive system of domestic birds, which reduces the benefit of the bird from the diet and thus impairs tissue growth [39].

Conclusion
The bird treatments fed tuberculosis powder had higher average live body weight, weekly weight growth, and feed conversion efficiency at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 weeks than the control treatment (P<0.05).This study found that adding tubers powder to broiler diets improved productivity.

Table 1 .
Components and chemical composition (%) of the control diet used in the experiment.

Table 2 .
Chemical composition and qualitative detection of tubers Saad.

Table 4 .
Effect of using crushed tubers of cyperus rotundus with diet on average weekly weight gain (g/bird) (mean ± standard error) for broilers.

Table 6 .
Effect of using crushed tubers of cyperus rotundus with diet on average weekly feed conversion ratio (g feed/g weight gain) (mean ± standard error) for broilers.