Abstract
Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of combined supplementation of plant essential oils with organic acids on broiler chicken growth performance, intestinal microflora, intestinal architecture, blood analysis parameters and meat composition. Three hundred eighty male one-day-old Ross-308 chicks were randomly allocated to four treatment groups with six replicated pens (15 chicks per pen). For a period of 45 days, control treatment (A) chicks were fed commercial typical maize and soybean meal-based rations in mash form, which contained no anticoccidials or antimicrobial growth promoters. The diets of the other treatments were further supplemented with: Treatment B with two herbal feed additives (“Phyto-CSC” at 1.0Â g/kg during days 1–45 and “AEN” at 0.5Â g/kg during days 39–45); Treatment C with an organic acid feed additive (“Butiphorce 1065” at 1.0Â g/kg during days 1–45); Treatment D with all three examined feed additives (“Phyto-CSC” at 1.0Â g/kg during days 1–45, “AEN” at 0.5Â g/kg during days 39–45 and “Butiphorce 1065” at 1.0Â g/kg during days 1–45). On day 45 tissue samples were collected for further analysis. Statistical analysis was performed by two-way ANOVA (Essential oil supplementation X Organic acid supplementation). Final body weights and feed conversion ratio did not differ (PÂ >Â 0.050) between the treatments. Interaction (PÂ =Â 0.036) was found for overall feed intake, which was highest for the combined supplementation. The combined use of the plant essential oils and organic acids significantly (PÂ <Â 0.05) modified the intestinal microbiota of the caecum ( Bifidobacter galinarum) and the jejunum (total aerobes; total anaerobes; Enterococcus durans; Lactobacillus salivarius). Essential oil supplementation increased the blood haemoglobin (PÂ <Â 0.001). Organic acid supplementation increased (PÂ =Â 0.001) thigh meat fat percentage and lowered (PÂ <Â 0.001) duodenum villus height, whereas interaction between the two feed additives was found on the jejunum architecture analysis for villus height and crypt depth.
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