Abstract

The current study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary inclusion of eucalyptus and marshmallow leaf powder on growth performance and blood biochemical parameters of broiler chickens with four treatments, five replicates, and 10 chickens in each (n=200), based on a completely randomized design. The chickens were fed one of the four experimental diets including 1. Control (basal diet), 2. Basal diet+0.5% eucalyptus leaf powder, 3. Basal diet+0.5% marshmallow leaf powder, and 4. Basal diet+0.5% eucalyptus leaf powder and 0.5% marshmallow leaf powder. During three experimental periods (starter: 1 to 21 d, grower: 22 to 42 d, and whole periods: 1 to 42 d), growth performance parameters were measured. At the 42 d, blood samples were taken from one bird per cage to measure blood parameters. There was no significant effect of dietary treatments on growth performance parameters, and blood levels of albumin, triglycerides, uric acid, and glucose. Eucalyptus and marshmallow leaf powder (separately or in combination) decreased LDL level compared to the control group (26.60, 23.60, and 25.40 mg/dL, respectively). Simultaneous usage of eucalyptus leaf powder and marshmallow leaf powder in the diet increased blood HDL (24.60 mg/dL) and reduced blood cholesterol (47.14 mg/dL) values compared to the control group. In conclusion, usage of eucalyptus leaf powder (0.5%) and/or marshmallow leaf powder (0.5%) had no effects on feed intake, daily gain, and feed conversion ratio; however, they decreased blood LDL. Besides, 0.5% eucalyptus leaf powder and 0.5% marshmallow leaf powder could increase and decrease blood HDL and cholesterol, respectively.

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