Effects of Some Plant Extracts in Triticale-Based Broiler Diets on Growth Performance, E.Coli Counts in Intestine and Blood Parameters

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effect of using plant essential oils in triticale-based broiler diets as alternative to antimicrobial growth promotors (AGPs) on growth, E.coli counts in small intestine and blood parameters. 720 male broiler chicks were randomly distributed to nine experimental groups with four replicates. The control group received the triticale-soybean meal basal diet. In the other treatment groups the basal diet was supplemented with one of the following; flavomycin, enzyme, flavomycin+enzyme, enzyme+thyme oil, enzyme+fennel oil, enzyme+bay leaf oil, enzyme+thyme oil+fennel oil and enzyme+thyme oil+fennel oil+bay leaf oil. Results showed that the weight gain and feed intake were not influenced by the treatments (p>0.05). The use of the combination of plant extracts significantly improved the feed conversion. Use of plant extracts in triticale-based broiler diets as an alternative to AGPs had no regular effect on E.coli count in small intestine segments (p>0.05). Feeding broiler chickens with the enzyme+thyme oil supplemented diets increased eritrocyte level in serum (p0.05) by the treatments. In conclusion, these plant extracts can be also used with enzyme in triticale-based broiler diets as alternative to AGPs.

Keywords

• broiler chickens
• enzyme
• flavomycin
• plant extracts
• triticale