A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different plant extracts (common nettle, coriander, dill and thyme) at various dietary levels (0, 150, 300 and 450 mg/L) on growth performance, carcass traits, blood serum parameters, immune response and ileal microflora of 650 male Ross chickens (13 treatment groups; five replicates/treatment group; 10 birds/replicate) in a 42-day trial. Plant extracts were added to drinking water. Supplementation, except for coriander, increased feed intake (p <.05). Thyme extracts at 300 mg/L improved both weight gain and feed efficiency (p <.05). Thyme or dill (300 mg/L) improved carcass and drumsticks yields (p <.05). Pre-slaughtered body weight was increased by supplementation with plant extracts at 300 mg/L (p <.05). Plant extracts positively affected blood serum parameters decreasing concentrations (p <.05) of total protein, albumin, urea and total cholesterol. Dill extract increased IgG against sheep red blood cells at d 28 (p <.05) and d 42 (IgG; tendency p=.0698), whereas coriander extract (450 mg/L) raised immune response against avian influence within 42 d from vaccination (p <.05). Plant extracts reduced coliforms (except dill at 300 mg/L level; p <.05) and aerobic bacteria (except dill; p <.05). Negative gram bacteria were increased by thyme and dill treatments at 150 mg/L (p <.05) whereas lactobacilli bacteria were raised by thyme at 150 mg/L level (p <.05). In conclusion, supplementation with thyme at 300 mg/L level had the greatest benefits on the evaluated parameters.HIGHLIGHTS Thyme supplementation at 300 mg/L level could improve broiler chicken growth performance, carcass traits and blood serum parameters. Thyme supplementation at 150 mg/L could positively affect ileal microbiota increasing lactobacilli bacteria and reducing coliforms. However, no relevant effects of the thyme treatment were observed on broiler chicken immune responses.
Sigolo, S., Milis, C., Dousti, M., Jahandideh, E., Jalali, A., Mirzaei, N., Rasouli, B., Seidavi, A., Gallo, A., Ferronato, G., Prandini, A., Effects of different plant extracts at various dietary levels on growth performance, carcass traits, blood serum parameters, immune response and ileal microflora of Ross broiler chickens, <<ITALIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE>>, 2021; 20 (1): 359-371. [doi:10.1080/1828051X.2021.1883485] [http://hdl.handle.net/10807/197783]
Effects of different plant extracts at various dietary levels on growth performance, carcass traits, blood serum parameters, immune response and ileal microflora of Ross broiler chickens
Sigolo, Samantha;Gallo, Antonio;Prandini, Aldo
2021
Abstract
A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different plant extracts (common nettle, coriander, dill and thyme) at various dietary levels (0, 150, 300 and 450 mg/L) on growth performance, carcass traits, blood serum parameters, immune response and ileal microflora of 650 male Ross chickens (13 treatment groups; five replicates/treatment group; 10 birds/replicate) in a 42-day trial. Plant extracts were added to drinking water. Supplementation, except for coriander, increased feed intake (p <.05). Thyme extracts at 300 mg/L improved both weight gain and feed efficiency (p <.05). Thyme or dill (300 mg/L) improved carcass and drumsticks yields (p <.05). Pre-slaughtered body weight was increased by supplementation with plant extracts at 300 mg/L (p <.05). Plant extracts positively affected blood serum parameters decreasing concentrations (p <.05) of total protein, albumin, urea and total cholesterol. Dill extract increased IgG against sheep red blood cells at d 28 (p <.05) and d 42 (IgG; tendency p=.0698), whereas coriander extract (450 mg/L) raised immune response against avian influence within 42 d from vaccination (p <.05). Plant extracts reduced coliforms (except dill at 300 mg/L level; p <.05) and aerobic bacteria (except dill; p <.05). Negative gram bacteria were increased by thyme and dill treatments at 150 mg/L (p <.05) whereas lactobacilli bacteria were raised by thyme at 150 mg/L level (p <.05). In conclusion, supplementation with thyme at 300 mg/L level had the greatest benefits on the evaluated parameters.HIGHLIGHTS Thyme supplementation at 300 mg/L level could improve broiler chicken growth performance, carcass traits and blood serum parameters. Thyme supplementation at 150 mg/L could positively affect ileal microbiota increasing lactobacilli bacteria and reducing coliforms. However, no relevant effects of the thyme treatment were observed on broiler chicken immune responses.
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