IMPACT OF GINSENG (PANAX GINSENG) ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, BLOOD BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS AND ANTIOXIDATIVE STATUS OF JAPANESE QUAIL

: The effect of dietary inclusion of varying levels of ginseng powder as a natural antioxidant on the productive performance, hematological and blood biochemical parameters of blood, and antioxidative status of Japanese quails. A total of 300 unsexed Japanese quails, aged one week were randomly divided into five experimental groups. The experiment lasted five weeks. The first group fed the basal diet (control); while the 2 nd , 3 rd , 4 th , and 5 th groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 g ginseng/ Kg of diet, respectively. The results showed that quails fed the basal diet supplemented with different levels of ginseng (treated groups) had significantly better live body weight, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, economic efficiency, and production index compared with the control group. In comparison to the control group, supplementation of various ginseng lowered serum levels of cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), while RBCs count, hemoglobin, PCV, glucose, globulin, and antioxidant enzymes activity were significantly increased. Additionally, ginseng supplementation increased lactobacillus sp. while total bacterial count ( E. coli, and proteus ) decreased compared with the control group. In conclusion, supplementing Japanese quails with ginseng improved their growth performance, physiological characteristics, and antioxidative status.