Effects of short-term and combined use of thyme powder and aqueous extract on growth performance, carcass and organ characteristics, blood constituents, enzymes, immunity, intestinal morphology and fatty acid profile of breast meat in broilers

Majid Belali; Alireza Seidavi; Mehrdad Bouyeh

Majid Belali Department of Animal Science, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran
Alireza Seidavi Department of Animal Science, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht
Mehrdad Bouyeh Department of Animal Science, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran

Abstract

This experiment was performed to evaluate the effects of Thyme Extract (TE) and Thyme Powder (TP) on growth performance, carcass and organ characteristics, blood parameters, enzymes, immune system, intestinal morphology and fatty acid profile of breast meat in broilers. The experiment was based on a completely randomized design with 5 treatments, 4 replications and 10 Ross 308 male broilers in each replication for 42 days. Experimental treatments included aqueous extract of thyme (50 and 100 ppm) and thyme powder (100 and 150 mg/kg/feed) which were used in combination with the basal diet (control). The effect of treatments was analyzed by analysis of variance (SAS) and the means were compared at 5% probability level with Duncan's multiple range test. The results showed that, in the final period of experiment, different levels of thyme aqueous extract and thyme powder had a significant difference on daily weight gain, feed intake and conversion ratio improvement (P<0.05) so that the highest means were related to TE treatment (50 ppm) - It was TP- (150 mg/kg). The effect of different levels of thyme aqueous extract and thyme powder had a significant difference on European index, economic value and total weight (P<0.05), which had the highest mean of TE (50 ppm) -TP (150 mg/kg). Different levels of thyme aqueous extract and thyme powder had significant differences on the relative weight of thymus, bursa of Fabricius, live weight, ventricular fat and pancreas (P<0.05). The effect of different levels of thyme aqueous extract and thyme powder on the performance of the immune system of broilers was not significant (P> 0.05). The effect of different levels of thyme aqueous extract and thyme powder on the performance of the immune system of broilers was not significant (P>0.05). The highest percentage of unsaturated fatty acids was related to high levels of thyme powder and extract, meaning that the highest mean was related to TE (100 ppm) -TP (250 mg/kg) and the lowest mean was related to TE (0 ppm). TP (0 mg/kg). Based on the results of the present study, the use of TE 50, TP 150 mg/kg level is recommended to supplement the diet of Ross 308 broilers.