Abstract
Eighteen four week’s old weaned broiler rabbits of comparable body weights were allotted to three dietary treatment groups of six rabbits in each group namely T0 (basal control diet, T1 (basal diet added with turmeric rhizome powder, TRP, at the ratio of 150mg)and T2 (basal diet added with TRP at the ratio of 300mg/100g diet). Different hematological and serum biochemical parameters such as packed cell volume, Hemoglobin, total erythrocyte count and total leukocyte count and serum total protein, albumin, cholesterol, alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase due to the dietary inclusion of turmeric powder rhizome supplementation at 0, 0.15 and 0.30 percent did not show significant difference between the treatment groups. Carcass parameters and chemical composition of meat were closer to the standard values. The results of the study indicated no beneficial effect of dietary inclusion of turmeric (Curcuma longa) rhizome powder at 0, 0.15 and 0.30 per cent on blood biochemical and meat characteristics of broiler rabbits reared under summer stress

Key words: Summer stress, turmeric, curcumin, antioxidant, rabbits