The Impact of Supplementing Vanaraja Birds Diet with Turmeric (Curcuma longa) Powder on Production and Reproduction Performance

Background: Vanaraja birds, valued for their robust traits in poultry farming require optimized and tailored nutrition for peak performance and optimal results. Turmeric, renowned for its health-promoting properties could potentially enhance their productivity and reproductive outcomes. Yet, research into the specific effects of turmeric supplementation on Vanaraja birds is limited prompting further study to explore its potential benefits for improved growth rates, feed conversion efficiency, egg production and hatchability. Methods: The study was conducted at the poultry unit of the Department of Livestock Production and Management, which is a division of Nagaland University’s School of Agricultural Sciences. The trial was conducted for 365 days and the birds were reared in cages. The birds were divided into four dietary groups: T1 (control), T2 (0.5% turmeric powder), T3 (0.75% turmeric powder) and T4 (1.5% turmeric powder) with 30 birds in each group. Each dietary group had five replications. Result: Final body weight was significantly higher in T4. Feed intake was significantly lower in the groups treated with turmeric. Feed conversion efficiency (FCE) was higher in the control group. Furthermore, the groups fed with turmeric had greater rates of liveability. But there were no appreciable differences between the groups in terms of age at sexual maturity, egg weight at first egg, clutch size, hen day egg and hen house egg production. At onset of egg production groups treated with turmeric supplements showed noticeably higher body weight and overall egg production. Net profit per bird and net profit per kilogram of weight gain were higher in Group T3. Therefore, based on studies it is advised to incorporate turmeric powder into chicken feed at concentrations of 0.75 and 1.5% in order to enhance both production and reproductive performance.