Effect of the Thyme essential oil in the improvement of growth performance and sanitary status of broiler chickens

摘要

ThisassaywasdesignedtoinvestigateoftheeffectsofasupplementationinessentialoilofthymeextractedfromtheThymusvulgaris,shrubwidelyspreadaroundtheMediterraneanSeaandknownforitsantioxidantandantibacterialproperties.nbsp;Growthperformances,modificationsofthepancreaticandintestinalenzymaticactivitiesaswellastheevolutionofthedigestivemicroflorawerestudiedonatotalof140chicksrandomlydistributedin4groups:control,antibiotic(110mgofoxytetracyclinechlorhydrate/kgdiet)andtwogroupsrespectivelysupplementedwith30mgand40mg/kgdietofessentialoilofthyme.Theresultsshowedasignificantimprovementofthebodyweightgainandthefeedconversionratio(13-16%)comparedtothegroupsupplementedwithantibiotic(P0,05).Theactivityofthetrypsinandaamylasesignificantlyincreasedinbirdsfedwiththymeessentialoilcomparedtothosefeedcontrolandantibioticdiets(P0,05).TheCFUlactobacillipopulationwasunmodifiedinthesubjectssupplementedwiththymeessentialoil.However,asignificantreductionofthenumberofCFUofEscherichiacoliwasobservedinthegroupssupplementedwiththymeessentialoilcomparedtothecontrol(P0,05).nbsp;Inconclusion,thesupplementationinessentialoilofthymecouldbeaninterestingalternativetoantibioticsintheimprovementofthebroiler#8217;sgrowthandmedicaldiseaseprevention.