Biological effects of essential oils and extracts
Z. Norbakhsh; I. Hajkhodadadi; H.A. Ghasemi; M.H. Moradi
Abstract
Background and objective: Today, in the poultry industry, food additives are used to achieve the highest production at the lowest cost. Growth stimulants and food additives are chemical, biological, or natural compounds added to water and feed. They are used to improve growth and feed efficiency and ...
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Background and objective: Today, in the poultry industry, food additives are used to achieve the highest production at the lowest cost. Growth stimulants and food additives are chemical, biological, or natural compounds added to water and feed. They are used to improve growth and feed efficiency and obtain the highest and most economical production. The use of medicinal plants in poultry nutrition showed that, in addition to stimulating feed consumption, these plants also have antibiotic and anti-coccidiosis properties. This experiment aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of the herbal Bilhar (Dorema aucheri Boiss.) on the Production Parameters, hematology, and thigh and breast meat quality traits of broiler chickens in a completely randomized design.Methodology: In this study, 240 one-day-old Ross 308 were exposed to five treatments (four replicates), and 12 chickens in each replicate were raised for 42 days. The chickens had free access to water and feed during the rearing period. The necessary care was following scientific rearing principles and commercial catalog recommended methods. The experimental treatments included 1) control-common diet with no additive 2) control diet + 0.1% flavophospholipol antibiotic, 3) control diet + Bilhar (0.1 % in starter and grower, 0.05 % in finisher phase), 4) control diet + Bilhar (0.3 % in starter and grower, 0.15 % finisher phase), 3) control diet + Bilhar (0.5 % in starter and grower,0 .25 % in finisher phase). The experiment measured body weight and food consumption at the end of the initial, growth, and final periods. On the 42nd day, one chicken from each replicate was randomly selected and blood was collected through the wing vein. Two blood samples, one into the venoject tubes containing 0.5 cc of the anticoagulant ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), to collect and measure blood hematological parameters (the amount of red blood cells, white blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit and the subtracted population of white blood cells) and the other part of the blood into tubes free of anticoagulants in order to separate the blood serum, to measure the metabolites Serum biochemical tests were transferred. Results: Chick's body weight at 24 and 42 d was higher in the first Bilhar group and antibiotic level than in the control group. Different experimental groups significantly affected feed intake at the starter and grower phases (P> 0.05). Adding bilhar to the diet did not change red blood cell numbers but impacted hemoglobin, hematocrit percentages, and white blood cell count. Different levels of Bilher powder and antibiotics significantly influenced villus height, villus thickness, and villus area in the duodenum (P<0.05). But the depth of the crypt and the ratio of the height of the villi to the depth of the crypt in the duodenum did not show a statistically significant effect between the treatments (P<0.05). Despite no significant improvement in breast water holding capacity, dripping loss, or cooking loss, dietary billiards significantly decreased breast PH. Experimental treatments significantly affected thigh water holding capacity, dripping loss, and pH but did not affect thigh cooking loss.Conclusion: It can be concluded that in the case of most traits, especially functional traits, the first level of bilhar (treatment 3) improved compared to the control treatment. Therefore, this plant can be used at the indicated level as a plant additive in a broiler chicken diet. This will improve functional and histological traits.
H.A. Ghasemi; I. Hajkhodadadi
Abstract
It is essential to maintain proper nutrition and increase the health of the ostrich flock during the fattening period to increase meat production and thus to reduce the cost of breeding. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of combined essential oils (containing an equal level of Zataria ...
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It is essential to maintain proper nutrition and increase the health of the ostrich flock during the fattening period to increase meat production and thus to reduce the cost of breeding. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of combined essential oils (containing an equal level of Zataria multiflora, Mentha piperita, Foeniculum vulgare and Eucalyptus globules essential oils) on the concentrations of blood metabolites and electrolytes, blood enzymes activity and antioxidant status of ostrich chicks from 5 to 7 months of age. A total of 18 ostriches were used in a completely randomized design with three treatments and six replicates (six birds). Experimental treatments were addition of 0 (control), 200 and 400 parts per million (ppm) combined essential oils (CEO) into drinking water. The results showed that addition of CEO into drinking water at 200 ppm significantly increased body weight gain compared to control group (P=0.019). Supplementation of drinking water with 400 ppm CEO resulted in higher concentration of uric acid and higher lipase activity in the serum (P<0.05). The higher blood glutathione peroxidase activity and lower serum malondialdehyde level were also observed in the birds receiving 200 and 400 ppm of CEO in their drinking water compared with that of the control birds (P<0.05). Moreover, serum total antioxidant capacity tended to be higher (P=0.085) in the ostriches receiving 200 and 400 ppm CEO compared with that of the control group. However, the blood values of total protein, albumin, globulin, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, gamma glutamyltransferase, superoxide dismutase, amylase, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium and chloride were not affected by experimental treatments (P<0.05). In conclusion, the results indicate that an addition of 200 ppm CEO into drinking water for ostrich chicks improves growth rate and antioxidant activities without impairing metabolic health status.
