Biological effects of essential oils and extracts
Z. tahami; S.M. Hosseini; A. Valizadeh Ghalebeig
Abstract
To evaluate the effects of a mixture from Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J.Presl, Mentha pulegium L., and Capsicum annuum L. extracts on the relative weight of visceral and gastrointestinal organs, gastrointestinal tract acidity, blood parameters, and tibia characteristics of Ross 308 broilers, an experiment ...
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To evaluate the effects of a mixture from Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J.Presl, Mentha pulegium L., and Capsicum annuum L. extracts on the relative weight of visceral and gastrointestinal organs, gastrointestinal tract acidity, blood parameters, and tibia characteristics of Ross 308 broilers, an experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with five treatments, four replications, and eight chickens per replication. The experimental treatments included basal diet (BD), BD+500 mg kg-1 oxytetracycline, BD+50 mg kg-1 mixed extract, BD+100 mg kg-1 mixed extract, and BD+200 mg kg-1 mixed extract. After 42 days of raising the broilers with the mixed extract, the sampling was performed to evaluate the desired traits. The results showed that the consumption of 100 mg kg-1 mixed extract increased the pancreas and heart weight, relative length of ileum and jejunum, and relative weight and length of tibia and reduced the acidity of duodenum and jejunum compared to the control (p < /em><0.05). The results showed that the experimental treatments did not affect the concentration of blood elements of broilers, but the amount of magnesium and phosphorus in tibia was affected by 50 and 100 mg kg-1 mixed extract (p < /em><0.05). Based on the findings of this study, it could be concluded that the use of 100 mg kg-1 mixed extract improved the performance of broilers by increasing the relative length and weight of gastrointestinal organs and reducing the acidity of gastrointestinal tract.
M. Mohamadamini; F. Shariatmadari; S.A. Hosseini
Abstract
The effects of three herbal plant powders (thyme, cinnamon and turmeric) on growth performance and ascites were studied in broilers. Eight hundred one-day-old Arian broiler chicks were randomly allocated into eight treatment groups with four replications and 25 chicks per cage. The experiment lasted ...
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The effects of three herbal plant powders (thyme, cinnamon and turmeric) on growth performance and ascites were studied in broilers. Eight hundred one-day-old Arian broiler chicks were randomly allocated into eight treatment groups with four replications and 25 chicks per cage. The experiment lasted for 42 days. Energy and high protein diets were used to increase the speed of growth and inducing ascites in broiler chickens. Experimental treatment groups were: control treatments, consisting of two diets with different nutrient densities (high density and low density) and two base diets were supplemented with herbal powders at a rate of 5 g/Kg of the diet in a factorial arrangement. Feed intake, BW gain and feed conversion ratio of the broilers were measured. Parameters related to ascites (thyroid hormones, hematocrit value, erythrocyte osmotic fragility and right ventricle-to-total ventricle ratio (RV/TV) were measured. Results showed that there were no influences on broilers’ growth performance. On the other hand, hematocrit value, T4, T3/T4 and RV/TV were significantly decreased by using herbal plants compared with the control, but no significant changes were observed on erythrocyte osmotic fragility (EOF) among the treatments. The results of this study suggested that herbal plants have beneficial effects in reducing ascites in broilers.
M. Mirzavand; Sh. Rahimi; M.A. Sahari
Abstract
Antibiotics have a positive effect on broilers performance; however they may have negative effects such as microbial resistance in humans and animals. Medicinal plants are one of the alternatives to antibiotics as growth stimulators. A research was conducted to compare the effects of medicinal plants: ...
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Antibiotics have a positive effect on broilers performance; however they may have negative effects such as microbial resistance in humans and animals. Medicinal plants are one of the alternatives to antibiotics as growth stimulators. A research was conducted to compare the effects of medicinal plants: mint, basil, parsley, dill, coriander, garlic (1.5% in feed) with antibiotic virginiamycin (15ppm in feed) on broiler performance, blood factors, immune system, intestinal morphology and organoleptic tastes of broiler meat. For this purpose an experiment with a total of 480 d- old male broiler chicks (ROSS 308) were divided into eight treatments with three replicates of 20 birds per replicate in a completely randomized design (CRD). The highest body weight and the lowest feed intake were related to virginiamycin (p<0.05). There was no difference in feed conversion ratio among treatments (p>0.05). LDL and cholesterol levels were lowest in the group fed with garlic (p<0.05). Lower blood uric acid levels were associated with parsley (p<0.05). Relative weights of lymphoid organs (spleen and bursa Fabricious) as two immune indexes were compared among different groups which was not affected by treatments (p>0.05). Antibody response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) in secondary response was higher in garlic and dill groups (p<0.05). Antibody responses to Newcastle disease vaccine (LaSota) was not affected by treatments (p>0.05). The lowest and highest heterophil/lymphocyte ratio was obtained in garlic group and control group (p<0.05), respectively. Villi height was not changed significantly in any segment of intestine (p<0.05). Ratio of villous height to crypt depth and villous height to basal width was significant (p<0.05). It is concluded that coriander and mint have significant effects in odor, color, texture and overall acceptance of broiler meat (p<0.05), so these plants can be used as feed additives in poultry diets.
B. Karimi; Sh. Rahimi; M.A. Karimi Torshizi
Abstract
The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of medicinal plants on growth performance, immune system and blood parameters of broilers. In this study, a total of 480 one-d-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were randomly allocated to eight experimental groups, each with three replications and 20 birds ...
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The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of medicinal plants on growth performance, immune system and blood parameters of broilers. In this study, a total of 480 one-d-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were randomly allocated to eight experimental groups, each with three replications and 20 birds in each replicate. The basal diet was consumed with 15-ppm virginiamycin and the plant extracts of Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus L.), German chamomile (Matricaria chammomilla L.),Yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.), Iranian caraway (Bunium persicum (Boiss.) B. Fedtsch.), Garlic (Allium sativum L.) and licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.), at 0.1% in drinking water. At day 41, three birds of each experimental unit were bled to measure haematocrit, cholesterol, triglyceride, total protein, uric acid, LDL and HDL. The birds were vaccinated against Newcastle disease (ND) via drinking water at day 23 and blood samples were taken at days 34 and 41.The highest ND titer and antibody titer to SRBC was observed in German chamomile group and eucalyptus group (p<0.05), respectively. The highest level of serum triglyceride was observed in virginiamycin group at day 42; however, it was not statistically significant with control group (p<0.05). The lowest level of cholesterol was measured in garlic group (p<0.05), and the lowest level of LDL was determined in eucalyptus group (p<0.05).
A. Nobakht; M.R. Rahimzadeh; A.R. Safamehr
Abstract
Due to the ease of application, abundance and lack of significant side effects medicinal plants and their derivatives are used for poultry as effective additives. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of different levels of nettle (Urtica dioica L.), pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium L.) and ...
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Due to the ease of application, abundance and lack of significant side effects medicinal plants and their derivatives are used for poultry as effective additives. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of different levels of nettle (Urtica dioica L.), pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium L.) and ziziphora (Ziziphora tenuior L.) on performance, carcass traits, blood hematological and biochemical parameters of broilers. The experiment was performed in a completely randomized design including 324 broilers (Ross 308) with 9 treatments and 3 replications (each replication included 12 hens) from age 1 to 42 days. Experimental groups included I) control group with no medicinal plants, and in other treatments the levels of medicinal plants in starter and grower periods were as II) 0.75% III) 0 and 0.75%, IV) 0.75% and 1.5%, V) 1.5% and 0.75%, VI) 0.75% and 1.5%, VII) 0 and 1.5%, VIII) 1.5% and 0, IX) 1.5% in both periods. The results showed that different levels of medicinal plants in starter and grower periods had significant effects on performance, carcass traits and hematological status of broilers (p < 0.05). According to the results, the highest daily weight gain (59.75g), the lowest feed conversion (1.90) the highest carcass percentage (74.04) and the highest percentage of gizzard (2.77) were observed in group 3, whereas the best level of white blood cells was observed in group 9, but there were no significant differences between experimental groups and control group in terms of performance and blood hematological parameters.
