Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
Department of Poultry Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modars University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
The effects of the herbal extracts (Rosemary officinalis L., Salvia officinalis), propolis, virginiamycin antibiotic and the herbal coccidiostat were studied on broiler chickens challenged with two E. coli strains (O78K80 & O2K12). A total of 476 female cobb 500 broilers was allocated in a completely randomized design considering seven treatments with four replicates and 17 birds per each for 42 days. Negative and positive control groups received a basal diet with no supplementation. The two herbal groups received a basal diet with 1 mL of ethanol herbal extracts (Rosemarinus officinalis & Salvia officinalis) / L drinking water, respectively. The virginiamycin (10%), the herbal coccidiostat and the ethanol extract of propolis groups fed the basal diet plus 150, 200 and 500 mg / kg diet, respectively. All groups except negative control challenged with two E. coli strains (O78K80 & O2K12) in 14d of rearing period. Herbal extract decreased the intestinal population of E. coli and Salmonella compared to the positive control (P<0.05). In the rearing period, feed conversion ratio and feed intake in chickens received herbal extracts and herbal coccidiostat were significantly lower than control groups (P<0.05). Birds that received rosemary and propolis had the lowest relative weight of the breast compared to other treatments (P<0.05).Herbal extracts decreased the cholesterol and increased HDL levels of serum (P<0.05). It could be concluded that the herbal extracts can be used as an alternative to antibiotics as growth promoters in broiler chicks.
Keywords
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