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.
K. Azizi; M. Daneshyar; S.M. Abtahi; S.H. Goldani
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) powder on performance, carcass characteristics and immune system of Japanese quail. For this purpose, 200 one-day-old quail chicks were used in a completely randomized design with four treatments and ...
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This study aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) powder on performance, carcass characteristics and immune system of Japanese quail. For this purpose, 200 one-day-old quail chicks were used in a completely randomized design with four treatments and five replicates and 10 birds per replicate. The experimental treatments consisted of four levels of peppermint (0.0, 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75%). The consumption of 0.5 and 0.75% peppermint powder significantly reduced the severity of respiratory burst (P<0.01). No effects of experimental treatments were observed for heterophil, lymphocyte, heterophil to lymphocyte ratio and monocyte counts (P>0.05). Different levels of peppermint powder caused to decreased antibody production against SRBC and humoral immune suppression (P<0.01). In addition, different levels of peppermint powder enhanced the cellular immune system through increased lymphocyte proliferation and significant increase in the thickness of the membrane between the toes in response to SRBC injection (P<0.01). The results of this experiment showed that the consumption of peppermint powder had no effect on performance of Japanese quail during different weeks and whole the experimental period (P>0.05). Moreover, there were no significant differences between the treatments for carcass characteristics, internal organ weights and length and weight of different parts of the intestine (P>0.05). Thus, according to enhancement of cellular immune responses by peppermint powder, the use of peppermint powder is recommended during the viral illness (such as Newcastle, bronchitis and influenza) or intracellular parasite infection (such as coccidiosis).
