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Abstract

The poultry industry is a major agro-based sector in Pakistan and an important source of meat protein. Nigella sativa (black cumin/kalonji) has gained attention as a natural feed additive because of its antimicrobial, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and growth-promoting properties. This study evaluated the effects of dietary Nigella sativa seed supplementation on growth performance, feed conversion ratio (FCR), lipid profile, and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens under summer and winter conditions. A total of 120 one-day-old broiler chicks were randomly assigned to two dietary treatments, with 60 birds per treatment and three replicates of 20 birds. The control group received a basal diet, while the experimental group received the basal diet supplemented with 4% (40 g/kg) Nigella sativa seeds. Birds were reared for 28 days in both seasons. At the end of the trial, serum glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and HDL were determined, while liver, thigh, breast, and gizzard weights were recorded. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA to assess the effects of dietary treatment and season. Season did not significantly affect overall growth performance (p = 0.55), whereas Nigella sativa supplementation significantly improved growth performance compared with the control (p = 0.020). Significant treatment effects were observed for the evaluated parameters (p < 0.05). Winter-reared broilers showed better growth performance than summer-reared birds. Supplementation was also associated with an improved lipid profile and enhanced carcass characteristics. Overall, 4% Nigella sativa seeds showed beneficial effects on broiler performance, lipid profile, and carcass quality under the conditions of this study.

Article History

Received: Sep 16, 2025; Accepted: Jul 13, 2026; Published: Sep 30, 2026

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MS 1935 Nigella sativa final formatting_Revised.docx (62 kB)
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