Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 PhD student in Poultry Nutrition, Faculty of Agriculture, Islamic Azad University, Ghaem Shahr Branch
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Islamic Azad University Qaimshahr Branch, Mazandaran, Iran.
Abstract
The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effects of different levels of Alhagi maurorum (AM) essential oil on performance, carcass characteristics, intestinal morphology, liver enzymes and antioxidant status in broilers. In total, 400 one-day-old male and female broilers of Ross 308 strain with an average weight of 41.27±0.64 grams were used. This experiment was conducted in the form of a completely randomized design with 5 treatments, 4 replications and 20 birds per replication. The experimental treatments included the control treatment (without AM essential oil) and levels of 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1% of AM essential oil in the diet. The results showed that in the grower, finisher and total periods, broilers fed with 1% AM essential oil had higher weight gain and lower feed conversion ratio (P<0.05). The relative weight of liver and abdominal fat in chickens fed with 1% AM essential oil diet was significantly lower than other experimental treatments (P<0.05). The height of villi and the ratio of villi height to jejunum crypt depth in broilers fed with different levels of AM essential oil were significantly higher than the control treatment (P<0.05). Also, in the treatment of 0.75 and 1% AM essential oil, catalase concentration and total antioxidant capacity showed an increase compared to other treatments (P<0.05). In general, it can be said that AM essential oil (at the level of 1%) in addition to positive effects on the growth performance of broiler chickens, has also helped the immune system.
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