THE EFFECT OF TURMERIC (CURCUMA DOMESTICA) POWDER SUPPLEMENTATION ON ESCHERICHIA COLI CONTAMINATION QUANTIFICATION AND RELATIVE ORGAN WEIGHT IN NATIVE SUPER CHICKENS

Abstract

Turmeric (Curcuma domestica) is a phytogenic additive containing bioactive compounds, particularly curcumin, known for immunomodulatory and antimicrobial activities. This study evaluated the effects of turmeric powder supplementation through drinking water on relative visceral organ weights and cloacal Escherichia coli colonization in super native chickens (Ayam Jowo Super). A total of 100 chickens, aged 29 to 56 days, were assigned to five treatments in a Completely Randomized Design with four replicates of five chickens each. Treatments consisted of no additive (P0), 0.1 g/L commercial immune booster (P1), and turmeric powder at 1 g/L (P2), 3 g/L (P3), and 5 g/L (P4). At 56 days of age, chickens were slaughtered to measure relative weights of the Bursa of Fabricius, spleen, liver, and small intestine. Cloacal swabs were collected for E. coli enumeration using the pour plate method on TBX agar. Turmeric supplementation significantly affected the relative weights of the Bursa of Fabricius and spleen (P<0.05), with the highest values observed at 3 g/L: 0.1131 ± 0.028% and 0.4216 ± 0.057%, respectively. Turmeric also significantly reduced cloacal E. coli counts (P<0.01), with the lowest count observed at 5 g/L, reaching 1.25 × 10⁴ CFU/g. In conclusion, turmeric supplementation at 3 g/L improved lymphoid organ development, while 5 g/L was more effective in suppressing enteric E. coli colonization. These findings suggest that turmeric can be used as a natural immunomodulatory and antimicrobial additive in native poultry production.