Effect of Abies numidica Extracts on Performance, Blood Parameters and Caecal Microflora of Broiler Chicks.
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Date
2015-12
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Research Journal of Pharmaceutical, Biological and Chemical Sciences
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of hydroalcoholic and aqueous extracts of Abies numidica on performance, caecal microflora and some blood parameters. Fifty, one-day-old mixed sex broiler chicks were used in the experiment. The animals were allocated into five dietary treatments groups in a complete randomized design and fed for 21 days. The experimental groups were as follow: the control group (CG)-basal diet without plant extract addition, the first experimental group (EG1) with the addition of 2 g of aqueous extract per 1 kg of basal diet, followed by the second experimental group (EG2) 4 g of aqueous extract kg-1 and we used basal diet with the addition of 2 and 4g kg-1 of hydroalcoholic extract in the third (EG3) and the fourth (EG4) experimental groups respectively. The results showed that body weight gain in the first week was significantly increased when the diets were supplemented with 4g hydroalcoholic extract. Feed intake and feed conversion ratio were not affected in birds fed diets with supplements in comparison with the control group. Glucose and cholesterol concentrations were not affected by different treatments but triglyceride and total protein concentrations were significantly increased. In addition, inclusion of 2 levels of both extracts had no effect on Lactic acid bacteria count, Enterobacteriaceae and total aerobes counts. These findings suggest that more studies are needed to investigate beneficial effects of Abies numidica extracts in broiler production.