A study with 160-day-old broiler chickens was conducted to investigate the effects of Thymus vulgaris (Thyme) extract in drinking water on plasma cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein (HDL-c), low density lipoprotein (LDL-c) and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL-c), proportional abdominal fat, liver weights and liver color index. The chickens were divided into four groups and received 0 (ZT), 0.2 (LT), 0.4 (MT) or 0.6% (HT) thyme extract from day one to day 42 of age. All the birds receiving the Thyme extract had lower plasma total cholesterol, LDL-c concentrations and proportional liver weights compared with the control birds (P<0.05). Liver absolute weight of MT birds and proportional fat weight of HT birds were lower than those of ZT birds (P<0.05). Liver color index of HT and MT birds was higher than that of ZT birds. In orthogonal comparisons, thyme extract supplementation diminished (P<0.05) the plasma triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDLc and VLDL-c, decreased the proportional and absolute liver weight and proportional abdominal fat weight and increased the (P<0.05) liver colour index as compared to control. Significant negative correlation (P<0.01) was found between the thyme extract supplementation and plasma cholesterol, proportional abdominal fat weight and liver proportional weight, and a positive correlation (P<0.01) between the thyme extract supplementation and liver colour index. In conclusion, Thyme consumption in broiler chickens could improve the carcass quality to the consumers and net returns of the producers.
The effects of different levels of 0.0 sumac fruit powder (Z-SFP), 0.25 (L-SFP), 0.50 (M-SFP) and 1% (H-SFP) along with 100 mg/kg alpha tocopherol acetate (VE) were investigated on performance and blood antioxidant status of broiler chickens under heat stress condition. L-SFP, M-SFP and VE birds showed higher body weight gain (BWG) than Z-SFP and H-SFP birds during the starter period (P<0.05). No significant differences were observed among the treatments for feed intake (FI) during the starter, grower and whole the experimental periods (P>0.05). Feed conversion ratio (FCR) of M-SFP and VE birds were lower than that of H-SFP birds during the starter period (P<0.05). Moreover, no significant differences were observed for FCR or BWG between the treatments during the grower and whole the experimental periods (P>0.05). The blood total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) enzymes were not affected by dietary treatments at week 6 of age (P>0.05). It was concluded that although dietary SFP consumption can improve the performance of broiler chickens during the starter period under heat stress, it does not affect the performance during grower period or the blood antioxidant indices at week 6 of age.
The effects of different levels of 0.0 sumac fruit powder (Z-SFP), 0.25 (L-SFP), 0.50 (M-SFP) and 1% (H-SFP) along with 100 mg/kg alpha tocopherol acetate (VE) were investigated on performance and blood antioxidant status of broiler chickens under heat stress condition. L-SFP, M-SFP and VE birds showed higher body weight gain (BWG) than Z-SFP and H-SFP birds during the starter period (P<0.05). No significant differences were observed among the treatments for feed intake (FI) during the starter, grower and whole the experimental periods (P>0.05). Feed conversion ratio (FCR) of M-SFP and VE birds were lower than that of H-SFP birds during the starter period (P<0.05). Moreover, no significant differences were observed for FCR or BWG between the treatments during the grower and whole the experimental periods (P>0.05). The blood total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) enzymes were not affected by dietary treatments at week 6 of age (P>0.05). It was concluded that although dietary SFP consumption can improve the performance of broiler chickens during the starter period under heat stress, it does not affect the performance during grower period or the blood antioxidant indices at week 6 of age.
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