Evaluation of thyme and ajwain as antibiotic growth promoter substitutions on growth performance, carcass characteristics and serum biochemistry in Japanese quails ( Coturnix japonica )

Abstract

The present study was to evaluate thyme and ajwain as antibiotic growth promoter substitutions on growth performance, carcass characteristics and serum biochemistry in Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica). A feeding trial was conducted over 28 d with 4 groups of Japanese quails fed experimental diets formulated to provide no supplementation (control), or control + 55 mg zinc bacitracin/kg, 2 g thyme/kg, and 2 g ajwain/kg. At 35 d of age, 2 quails from each replicate were sacrificed and eviscerated. Liver, empty small intestine and heart were weighed and calculated as a percentage of live body weight. The carcasses were weighed and the cuts were performed to evaluate the yield of legs and breast. At 35 d of age, 2 quails per replicate were chosen and approximately 1-mL blood samples were collected through brachial vein, and concentrations of albumin, total protein, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and high density lipoprotein (HDL) -cholesterol were determined. Final body weight were not affected by the dietary treatment whereas, it tended to increase in quails supplemented with antibiotic. Overall feed conversation ratio values were similar though it tended to improve in quails supplemented with thyme compared with other groups. Daily feed intake, internal organ weights and carcass traits were not influenced by the dietary treatments. Serum total cholesterol contents were lower (P < 0.05) in quails supplemented with ajwain compared with control and quails supplemented with antibiotic and thyme. The highest serum HDL-cholesterol was seen in the group supplemented with thyme compared with other groups. It was concluded that the addition of 2 g/kg thyme can improve serum biochemistry in quails, although its effects on performance criteria was negligible.

Efficacy of ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi L.) seed at graded levels of dietary threonine on growth performance, serum metabolites, intestinal morphology and microbial population in broiler chickens

“…This response may be due to the active substances in the medicinal plants with highly odours and pungent taste (Mehri, Sabaghi, & Bagherzadeh‐Kasmani, 2015a). In a study with Japanese quails and in contrast with our results, it is observed that the effect of ajwain powder on the performance criteria was negligible (Kheiri et al, 2017). Although the underlying mechanisms by which phytogenics affect bird performance is not yet clear, it is documented that the variation in poultry responses to the aromatic plant seeds may be related to the chemical composition of the various seeds, environmental parameters, bird type and diet form (Behnamifar, Rahimi, Karimi Torshizi, Hasanpor, & Mohamadzade, 2015).…”

“…(Valiollahi et al, 2014) came to the same result in broilers where dietary inclusion of ajwain powder decreased the E. coli population and increased the cfu of Lactobacilli . It is reported that the positive effect of medicinal plants, such as ajwain on the growth performance of broiler chickens, may be due to the antibacterial and antioxidant properties via photogenic agents (Kheiri et al, 2017). These phytogenic agents may exert either inhibitory or stimulatory effects on the harmful bacteria and endogenous secretion of the gut, respectively, through the functional substances including alkaloids, phenolic compounds, terpenoids and triterpene saponins (Ghazaghi et al, 2014).…”

“…Also, anticoccidial and antioxidant impacts of ajwain powder have been documented in broiler chickens (Abbas et al, 2019). It has been reported that the most active compounds of AS include thymol and carvacrol, which are important pharmacologically active substances (Kheiri, Faghani, & Landy, 2017). Besides, it is found that the major components of essential oils derived from ajwain seeds are γ‐terpinene (31.02%), thymol (29.20%), p‐cymene (22.87%) and β‐pinene (4.13%) (Hazrati, Rezaeipour, & Asadzadeh, 2019).…”

Evaluation of cottonseed bioactive peptides on growth performance, carcase traits, immunity, total antioxidant activity of serum and intestinal morphology in broiler chickens

“…In-feed antibiotics (IFA) have been used in poultry feeds for many years widespread at sub-therapeutic doses for their affirmative influences on growth performance, and health status of the birds (Franti et al 1971;Ghalamkari et al 2012;Goodarzi et al 2014;Yazdi et al 2014aYazdi et al , 2014bForoutankhah et al 2019). The IFA are purported to enhance the performance of the birds by decreasing the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria in the gut, resulting in greater digestion, absorption and metabolism of nutrients (Gheisari et al 2017;Kheiri et al 2018). Although including IFA in poultry diets resulted in some beneficial influences on poultry performance, the continuous utilisation resulted in increment of cross-resistance and multifold antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria (Sørum and Sunde 2001), deposition of drug in poultry meat, and dysbacteriosis (Andremont 2000).…”

Aditivos fitogênicos: óleos essenciais para frangos de corte - revisão

“…Contudo, o uso contínuo de APC com intuito alimentar, levantou-se dúvidas e questionamentos relacionado a resistência cruzada que ocasionalmente acometeria os seres humanos com desenvolvimento de bactérias resistentes (Kheiri et al, 2018). A proibição ou retirada voluntária dos APC, em diversos países foram retificadas nos diversos órgãos regulatórios, sendo 128 países com medidas crescentes de restrição (Salim et al, 2018).…”