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.
Biological effects of essential oils and extracts
M. Mohammadzadeh; M. Salarmoini; M. Afsharmanesh; M. Khajeh Bami
Abstract
To investigate the effects of sex and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) seed powder on the growth performance, immune response, and intestinal microflora and morphology of broilers, a factorial experiment was conducted with 240 one-day-old broilers (strain Ross308, 120 males and 120 females) in ...
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To investigate the effects of sex and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) seed powder on the growth performance, immune response, and intestinal microflora and morphology of broilers, a factorial experiment was conducted with 240 one-day-old broilers (strain Ross308, 120 males and 120 females) in a completely randomized design with three levels of fenugreek seed powder (zero, 0.5, and 1 %) and two sex (male and female) with four replications and 10 birds per replicate. The results showed that the body weight gain, feed intake, European efficiency factor, and intestinal Lactobacillus bacteria population were higher in the males than the females (P<0.05). The main effects of fenugreek seed powder and sex showed that the length and villi width and villus length to crypt depth ratio were higher in the intestine of chickens fed with the diet containing 1% fenugreek than the control and in the males than the females (P<0.05). The interactions showed that the length and villi width and villus length to crypt depth ratio were lower in the intestines of males fed with the control diet compared to the other groups (P<0.05). The antibody titer against the sheep red blood cells in the serum of chickens fed with the diet containing 1% fenugreek was higher than the control (P<0.05). In general, the results showed that adding 1% fenugreek seed powder to the broilers diet had beneficial effects and could improve the intestinal morphology and immune response.
Biological effects of essential oils and extracts
S. Masoud-Moghaddam; J. Mehrzad; A.H. Alizadeh Ghamsari; R. Bahari Kashani; J. Saeidi
Abstract
This study aimed at comparing the effects of four commercial herbal additives and a growth-promoting antibiotic (virginiamycin) on the productive traits, some blood biochemical parameters, and serum hepatic enzymes activity of broilers. Nine hundred one day-old male broilers (Ross 308 strain) were used ...
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This study aimed at comparing the effects of four commercial herbal additives and a growth-promoting antibiotic (virginiamycin) on the productive traits, some blood biochemical parameters, and serum hepatic enzymes activity of broilers. Nine hundred one day-old male broilers (Ross 308 strain) were used in a completely randomized design with five treatments and six replicates of 30 birds. The experimental treatments included the diets containing Noviherb®, Bioessence®, and Biostrong® (each at a rate of 100 g ton-1 of diet), diet containing Novigrow® (1000 g ton-1 of diet), and diet containing virginiamycin (100 g ton-1 of diet) as positive control. The amount of feed intake, body weight, mortality percentage, feed conversion ratio, and European broiler index were measured during 1 to 42 days of broilers age. At the 28 and 42 days of age, the blood samples were taken from four birds per replicate and the blood parameters including the concentration of total protein, uric acid, albumin, glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and the activity of gamma-glutamyl transferase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase serum enzymes were measured. The results showed that the effects of tested herbal additives on the performance and European broiler index were not significant in comparison with the antibiotic. The concentration of blood parameters and the activity of serum liver enzymes at the 28 and 42 days of age were not affected by the experimental treatments. Based on these results, the additives evaluated could be suitable alternatives to the growth-promoting antibiotics without adversely affecting the performance and serum biochemical parameters of broilers.
Biological effects of essential oils and extracts
S. Esfandyari; M. Mazhari; O. Esmaeilipour; H. Doumari
Abstract
To investigate the antioxidant properties of Oxalis corniculata L. leaves powder and compare the effects of its addition with vitamin C on the performance and meat quality of broilers under heat stress conditions, an experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with four treatments, five ...
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To investigate the antioxidant properties of Oxalis corniculata L. leaves powder and compare the effects of its addition with vitamin C on the performance and meat quality of broilers under heat stress conditions, an experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with four treatments, five replications, and 10 birds per replication. The experimental treatments included the corn-soybean diet as a basal diet (control), basal diet + 250 mg kg-1 vitamin C, basal diet + 0.5% O. corniculata leaves powder, and basal diet + 1% O. corniculata leaves powder. To apply heat stress, the chickens from 25 to 42 days of their age were exposed to 34 ± 2 °C for eight hours a day. The performance traits including feed intake, weight gain, and feed conversion ratio were recorded at the end of the experiment. Also, at the end of the experiment, two birds per replicates were randomly selected and slaughtered to measure the meat quality traits. The total phenolic compounds content in the methanolic extract of O. corniculata was 11.73 mg of gallic acid / g of dry matter. The free radical scavenging activity (DPPH assay) percentage and the amount of vitamin C of this plant were obtained 46.63% and 88 mg/g of dry matter, respectively. The consumption of 1% leaves powder of the plant increased the feed intake and weight of broilers compared to the control (p < /em><0.05). The lowest feed conversion ratio was observed in the group of 1% leaves powder of the plant and vitamin C (p < /em><0.05). The highest water holding capacity and meat moisture was observed in the broilers fed with O. corniculata leaves powder compared to the control (p < /em><0.05). All the treatments reduced the cooking loss and dripping loss of meat compared to the control (p < /em><0.05). According to the results of this experiment, the basal diet + 250 mg kg-1 vitamin C and basal diet + 1% O. corniculata leaves powder treatments could improve the growth performance and some meat quality parameters of broilers under heat stress conditions.
Biological effects of essential oils and extracts
F. Pourasghar; H.R. Aliakbarpour; Gh. Maliji
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effects of Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench extract and its usage schedule on the immune system, biochemical parameters, and growth yield of male broilers. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with three treatments and four replications. The ...
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This study aimed to investigate the effects of Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench extract and its usage schedule on the immune system, biochemical parameters, and growth yield of male broilers. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with three treatments and four replications. The treatments included 1: without purple coneflower extract (control), 2: daily usage, and 3: every-other-day usage of purple coneflower extract (1.5 ml of the extract per liter of water). Records of the broilers body weight, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio were investigated in the starter, grower and finisher nutritional stages. The blood biochemical parameters (glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, albumin, and total protein), bronchitis virus titer, heterophile-to-lymphocyte ratio, and immune organs weight were determined at the end of the experiment (42-day-old age). The results showed that the yield characteristics, heterophile-to-lymphocyte ratio, and immune organs weight did not differ significantly between the experimental groups. The highest bronchitis virus titer was observed in the daily extract usage treatment (p < 0.05). The blood glucose level in the daily extract usage treatment was lower than the control (p < 0.05), but the other blood biochemical parameters did not differ significantly between the experimental treatments. The results of the present study revealed that the daily usage of purple coneflower extract (1.5 ml of the extract per liter of water) could decrease the blood glucose level and increase the bronchitis virus titer.
M. Vesgari Kiyasari; R. Jamshidi; M. Mehrabadi; M.H. Yosefi; KH. Ghazvinian
Abstract
This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of needle shepherd (Scandix pecten-veneris L.) on broiler performance, immune system, blood parameters and carcass characteristics. In this research, two hundred and forty one-day-old female chickens (Ross 308) in a completely randomized design were ...
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This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of needle shepherd (Scandix pecten-veneris L.) on broiler performance, immune system, blood parameters and carcass characteristics. In this research, two hundred and forty one-day-old female chickens (Ross 308) in a completely randomized design were allocated to one of four treatments (four replicates of 15 birds per treatment): control, and the control diet supplemented with 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% needle shepherd. Results indicated that, the growth performance was affected significantly by treatments, as the average weight and feed conversion ratio in the treatment of 1.5% was significantly higher and lower than that of the control, respectively (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in terms of glucose, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol and characteristics of carcass among treatments during experiment. The stimulation of immune system was determined with sheep red blood cell (SRBC) in two stages. It was found that the antibody titer against SRBC in the groups fed with 1 and 1.5% of plant were more than other groups in the first and second stages (P<0.05). The highest and lowest percentage of eosinophil’s cells (5.67% and 4.34%) were observed in the treatments of 1.5% and 0.5%, respectively (P<0.05). The results obtained in this study indicate that the use level of 1.5% shepherd's needle can improve poultry performance characteristics. On the other hand, due to the antioxidant and anti-bacterial activity of the study species, it can be concluded that this plant has a positive effect on the activity and immunity of poultry.
Z. Ranjbar; F. Shariatmadari; M.A. Karimi Torshizi
Abstract
This experiment was designed to study the effects of feeding diets containing different levels of yucca extract and antibiotic on growth performance, blood parameters, immune system and ascites index. Three hundred and twelve, one-day old broiler chicks (Arian) were used in a completely randomized design ...
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This experiment was designed to study the effects of feeding diets containing different levels of yucca extract and antibiotic on growth performance, blood parameters, immune system and ascites index. Three hundred and twelve, one-day old broiler chicks (Arian) were used in a completely randomized design with four treatments, consisting of three replications and 26 (male & female) chicks per pen. The treatments consisted of control (without supplementation), Yucca schidigera extract at 150 and 225 mg/kg, and virginiamycin at 15 mg/kg up to six weeks of age. Significant differences were found for feed intake, feed efficiency, and body weight gain in the studied treatments (p < 0.01). Immune responses, expressed as a primary and secondary antibody response to SRBC, were affected by treatments (p < 0.01). Treatment groups did not affect the weights of organs (p < 0.05). Effects of treatments on cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL and LDL levels, at 35 days of age, were significant on the parameters evaluated in different experimental groups (p < 0.01). The trends observed indicate that Yucca schidigera extract could have beneficial effects on broiler chicks performance.
M. Alempour; Sh. Rahimi; M.A. Karimi Torshizi
Abstract
In recent years, we have paid special attention to the development and production of broiler chickens. In this regard, the use of medicinal plants has been considered as growth promoters. Hypolipidemic and antioxidant properties of medicinal plants and their extracts have been proved. The purpose of ...
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In recent years, we have paid special attention to the development and production of broiler chickens. In this regard, the use of medicinal plants has been considered as growth promoters. Hypolipidemic and antioxidant properties of medicinal plants and their extracts have been proved. The purpose of this study was to compare hypolipidemic effects of five herbal extracts and virginiamycin as growth promoters in the poultry industry. Seven hundred and twenty 1-d-old male broiler chicks were randomly divided into 9 treatments and 4 replicates (20 birds per replicate). Treatments respectively included extracts of thyme (Thymus vulgaris), garlic (Allium sativum), common thyme (Thymus kotschyanus), common sage (Salvia officinalis), peppermint (Mentha piperita), blend of thyme and peppermint and blend of common thyme and common sage with a dosage of 1%, virginiamycin with dosage of 15 ppm and control. Total cholesterol (TC), LDL cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), HDL cholesterol, and heterophil/lymphocyte ratio were measured after 42 days. Among the extracts, garlic (Allivum sativum) hsignificantly reduced the levels of TC, LDL, and TG and significantly increased the level of HDL. Heterophil to lymphocyte ratio was not affected by treatments and the highest and lowest ratios were respectively observed in treatments of peppermint and garlic. Herbal extracts could improve blood factors compared with the antibiotic and control groups.
M. Mehrabadi; F. Shariatmadari; M.A. Karimi Torshizi
Abstract
The present experiment was carried out to determine the effects of barley-based diet supplied with probiotic, medicinal plant and antibiotic on performance, blood factor, and broiler's SRBC criteria as means to assess immune response. Three hundred and twenty day-old male broiler chicks were allocated ...
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The present experiment was carried out to determine the effects of barley-based diet supplied with probiotic, medicinal plant and antibiotic on performance, blood factor, and broiler's SRBC criteria as means to assess immune response. Three hundred and twenty day-old male broiler chicks were allocated to a randomized complete blocks design with 4 treatments consisting of 4 replications for 42 days. Experiment treatments were included: 1) basal diet with 20% barley (barley control), 2) barley control + probiotic Galpro, 3) barley control + medicinal plant Antibiophen, and 4) barley control + antibiotic virginiamycin. In addition, basal diet supplemented with commercial enzyme preparation. Body weight (BW), feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), blood cholesterol and triglyceride and SRBC, as criteria of immune system response were the measured parameters. Analysis of the experiment showed significant differences within treatments for 42 day-old body weight, as antibiotic treatment had the highest BW and control barely showed the lowest BW. Among treatments, significant differences were found in FCR for the whole duration of the experiment (P<0.05). Not significant differences in FI were noted among treatments during experiment. The FCR was highest in the barley plus enzyme group, but not much different for other treatment groups. Stimulating of immunity system was determined with sheep erythrocytes in two stages. Antibody titer against sheep erythrocytes in groups fed with probiotic and medicinal plant were more than other groups (P<0.05). Cholestrol and triglyceride levels of serume were affected by treatments; medicinal plants had resulted to lowest cholesterol level and antibiotic caused highest triglyceride level. It could be concluded that diet supplementation of broiler chicken with medicinal plant and probiotic as compared with antibiotic offset the negative effect of barley inclusion.
Z. Teymouri Zadeh; Sh. Rahimi; M.A. Karimi Torshizi; R. Omidbaigi
Abstract
This experiment was designed to investigate the comparison of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), coneflower (Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench.), garlic (Allium sativum L.) extracts and virginiamycin antibiotic as growth promoter in poultry industry on performance and carcass characteristics of Broilers. A total ...
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This experiment was designed to investigate the comparison of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), coneflower (Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench.), garlic (Allium sativum L.) extracts and virginiamycin antibiotic as growth promoter in poultry industry on performance and carcass characteristics of Broilers. A total four hundred and eighty 1-day old male broiler (Ross strain) chicks were assigned to the basal diet (control) and basal diet supplemented with 0.15% virginiamycin, 0.1% extracts of thyme (Thymus vulgaris), coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), garlic (Allium sativum) and mixture of extracts with the same dose. At the end of the experiment two chickens from each replication were randomly selected and killed to investigate the weigh of digestive organs and fat pad. There was significant difference in feed conversion ratio (FCR) between the treatments (p0.05). Lowest and highest FCR was related to virginiamycin and coneflower (pThymus vulgaris) (p>0.05). There was no difference in carcass characteristics and fat pad except small intestinal weight. Virginiamycin had the lowest small intestinal weight but the control had the highest (p
