Effect of a commercial essential oil on growth performance, digestive enzyme activity and intestinal microflora population in broiler chickens

摘要: Abstract The present study was designed to evaluate whether a blend of essential oils (EO) extracted from herbs could affect growth performance, digestive enzymes and antimicrobial activity the gut in growing broiler chickens. A total one hundred twenty, 3-day-old male chickens were assigned basal diet (CON) supplemented with 10 mg antibiotics/kg diet (ANTI), 25 mg EO/kg diet (EO I) 50 mg EO/kg diet II) until 35 days age. Throughout entire feeding period (3–35 days), there no differences body weight, feed intake, gain feed:gain ratio among birds fed antibiotics, either low or high level EO II). Weights organs including liver, pancreas, intestine mucosal tissues not affected by dietary treatments. Total specific activities pancreatic trypsin significantly (P Escherichia coli digesta ileo-cecum ANTI group showed lower number compared that CON group. However, difference CFU E. between groups. lactobacilli unaffected supplementation antibiotics. In summary, addition decreased population ileo-cecal digesta. Furthermore, dose resulted significant increase certain enzyme pancreas