This research was conducted to study the effects of the milk thistle powder on growth performance, blood parameters and liver enzymes in the 360 male broiler chicks (Ross 308). The studied factors were milk thistle powder at 0, 0.3 and 3% levels and antibiotic Cotrimoxazole at 0 and 0.2% per kg diet, ...
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This research was conducted to study the effects of the milk thistle powder on growth performance, blood parameters and liver enzymes in the 360 male broiler chicks (Ross 308). The studied factors were milk thistle powder at 0, 0.3 and 3% levels and antibiotic Cotrimoxazole at 0 and 0.2% per kg diet, which was a factorial experiment in a completely randomized design with 6 treatments and 3 replications. Growth performance traits, blood parameters and liver enzymes were measured at the end of the experimental period (42-day). The different levels of milk thistle powder caused a decrease in the mean of feed intake and body weight in the whole period (P <0.05). Consumption of milk thistle powder reduced cholesterol, triglyceride, Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) enzyme and Alanine aminotransferase (ALA) enzyme of blood serum levels up to 12.6%, 17.8%, 16%, and 59.7%, respectively (P <0.01). Based on the results of this experiment, the use of different levels of milk thistle powder has led to a decrease in the concentration of liver enzymes. Therefore, the use of milk thistle powder at a rate of 3% in the ration of broiler chickens protects their livers.