Background Natural feed additives play an important role in poultry production due to their safety and potential properties as an antioxidant and antimicrobial, as well as a growth stimulant. The present research was designed to assess the influence of dietary supplementation of either garlic, lemon essential oil, or their mixture on performance, nutrient digestibility, plasma constituents, immunity, and oxidative status, as well as intestinal development assessed by microbiota—histomorphology development in broilers under environmental heat stress. Methods A total of 480 broiler chicks (Ross 308) at one-day-old were randomly divided into four groups (120 chicks/ group). The control group received the basal diet (CON), while the other three groups received the basal diet supplemented with 200 mg/kg garlic essential oil (GEO), 200 mg/kg lemon essential oil (LEO), and their mixture (GLO) 200 mg/kg diet, respectively for 35 days. Results The obtained results revealed that broilers fed essential oils as a mixture or individually had an improvement in average body weight, feed conversion ratio, carcass dressing, and an increase in digestive enzymes activities compared to the control group, furthermore, there was a reduction in the mortality rate and abdominal fat content. Adding essential oils as a mixture or individually led to a decrease in (P < 0.05) blood plasma triglycerides, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and an increase in high-density lipoprotein. Broilers fed diets supplemented with essential oils as a mixture or individually had higher values of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase; while plasma malondialdehyde was lower (P < 0.05) compared to the control diet. Moreover, there was a significant enhancement in intestinal microbial content, and intestinal histological status of chickens fed with essential oils. Conclusions Conclusively, including the mixture of essential oils improved performance, nutrient digestibility, and digestive enzymes activities. It also enhanced immunity, antioxidant state, and lipid profile, and gut microbiota— histomorphology in broilers. It was proposed that the broilers diet be supplemented with a mixture of essential oils to a mitigation of the effects of heat stress.
A total number of three hundred and fifteen of 14 days old Muscovy ducklings were arrangement randomly into 7 experimental groups and allocated into three replicates. The experimental treatments were arranged in one way classification by using three sources of phytogenic plants being Moringa oleifera leaves meal (MLM), Rosmarinus officinalis leaves meal (RLM) and Olea europaea leaves meal (OLM) with two levels of plant addition (1or2%) compared to the commercial diet (control). Results showed the highest value of final live body weights (4185 g) was recorded for diet that supplemented with 1%MLM; while, the lowest weight recorded for diet supplemented with 2% OLM being 3507 g compared with control group. Feed intake (g/bird) decreased significantly for treatment groups compared with the control group. The best feed conversion was recorded by ducklings fed1%MLM compared with the control. The highest digestion coefficient of CP being 80.13% was achieved by the group fed 2%MLM vs. control (74.44%). Ducklings fed diet supplemented with natural additives recorded the highest values of edible giblets% and digestive tract length (cm) but lowest digestive tract weight % compared to the control group. Feeding diets contained 1%RLM,2%RLM and 1%OLM recorded highest values of overall acceptability of ducklings meat compared with the other experimental groups. The highest values of albumin (g/dl) and albumin/globulin ratio were recorded by the groups fed natural feed additives compared to the control group; while the lowest triglycerides value was for the ducklings fed 2%OLM being 250 g/L. Natural feed additives did not affect liver function or kidney function, while; values of total anti-oxidants capacity were significantly increased .Experimental groups fed 1% MLM, 2%MLM, 1%RLM or 1%OLM recorded the highest economic efficiency. It could be concluded that, the use of natural feed additives in Muscovy ducklings diets improved growth performance, increased immune response and improved economic efficiency.
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