jamal mahmoudi; sara mirzaie goudarzi; Abbas Frahavar; Ali asghar Saki; Ali reza Nourian
Volume 21, Issue 3 , September 2019, , Pages 371-380
Abstract
The effect of essential oils blend, probiotic and flavomycin on performance, gastrointestinal tract (GIT) characteristics, cecal microbial population and blood parameters was studied with 288 day-old chickens, Ross 308 broilers from 1 to 42 days of age in a completely randomized design by 4 ...
Read More
The effect of essential oils blend, probiotic and flavomycin on performance, gastrointestinal tract (GIT) characteristics, cecal microbial population and blood parameters was studied with 288 day-old chickens, Ross 308 broilers from 1 to 42 days of age in a completely randomized design by 4 treatments, 4 replicates and 18 chickens in each replication. The experimental treatments were: 1) basal diet as control group (without additive), 2) basal diet + 150 mg/kg essential oils blend, 3) basal diet + 200 mg/kg Gallipro® probiotic, and 4) basal diet + 150 mg/kg flavomycin. The results showed that feed intake was lower in the control group than other treatments (P<0.05). In the whole trial period, the weight gain of chickens fed with the diet containing flavomycin was higher than other birds and had a better feed conversion ratio than control birds or fed with the diet contains probiotic (P<0.05). The effect of treatments was not significant on relative weight of internal organs, pH of the GIT digesta and Lactobacillus and Escherichia coli population in the ceca. The relative weight of the breast was greater in chickens fed with flavomycin than control group or birds that received essential oils blend (P<0.05). There was no difference between treatments in terms of plasma cholesterol, glucose and triglyceride concentrations, but HDL concentration was lower in the plasma of birds receiving flavomycin compared to other treatments (P<0.05). Based on the results of this study, adding essential oils blend to the diet improved performance and can be used as a growth promoter instead of flavomycin in broilers diet.
Mohammad Malekzadeh; Mir Daryoush Shakouri; Hossein Abdi Benemar
Volume 20, Issue 2 , August 2018, , Pages 305-314
Abstract
The effect of two thyme species hydroalcoholic extracts and flavomycin on nutrients digestibility and antioxidant status of male broilers was assessed in a 42-day trial using 128-day-old Ross 308 chicks by employing a completely randomized design with four treatments and four replicates. The experimental ...
Read More
The effect of two thyme species hydroalcoholic extracts and flavomycin on nutrients digestibility and antioxidant status of male broilers was assessed in a 42-day trial using 128-day-old Ross 308 chicks by employing a completely randomized design with four treatments and four replicates. The experimental treatments consisted of control, 0.05 percent Thymus daenensis extract, 0.05 percent T. kotschyanus extract and 0.1 percent flavomycin. Throughout the experiment, the chickens on flavomycin diet had a better weight gain and feed conversion ratio (P<0.05). Although thyme diets had no effect on weight gain, the birds on diet containing T. daenensis extract had better feed conversion ratio than those on the control diet (P<0.05). The jejunal villus height and villus height to crypt depth ratio increased in birds fed with diets containing T. daenensis extract and flavomycin (P<0.05). However, villus surface area of jejunum was increased in birds on diets containing the additives (P<0.05). Feeding chickens with diets containing T. daenensis extract and flavomycin decreased the thickness of muscle layer of jejunum (P<0.05). Digestibility of dry matter and organic matter was increased by T. kotschyanus extract and flavomycin (P<0.05).Nitrogen retention was increased in birds fed with all additives (P<0.05). The activity of blood superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in birds receiving thyme extract was higher than those of the control group (P<0.05). Malondialdehyde of thigh meat declined in birds receiving diets containing T. kotschyanus extract in comparison with other treatments (P<0.05). Based on the results of the study such as improved feed conversion ratio, intestinal mucosal morphometry and body immune status parameters, application of 0.05 percent T. daenensis extract can be suggested as a growth promoter in broiler diets.