Abstract
Aim:In this study, a planned research work was conducted to investigate the nutrigenomic aspects of supplementation of Allium sativum (garlic) and Ocimum sanctum (holy basil) leaf powder on the growth performance and immune characteristics of broilers.Materials and Methods:A 6 weeks feeding trial was conducted with 280-day-old Ven Cobb broilers, distributed randomly into seven experimental groups. Each treatment had 4 replicates with 10 birds each. The birds of the control group (T1) were fed a basal diet formulated as per BIS standards. The broilers of treatment groups T2 and T3 were fed basal diet supplemented with the commercially available garlic powder (GP) at levels of 0.5% and 1.0% of the feed, respectively, while broilers in T4 and T5 were fed basal diet supplemented with commercial grade holy basil leaf powder (HBLP) at levels 0.5% and 1.0% of the feed, respectively. Birds in the T6 were fed with 0.5% GP and 0.5% HBLP, whereas T7 was fed with 1.0% GP and 1.0% HBLP. At the end of the feeding trial (6th week), blood samples were collected and analyzed for relative mRNA expression of toll-like receptors (TLR) 2, TLR 4 and TLR 7 using real-time polymerase chain reaction.Results:The mean body weight gain and feed conversion efficiency were improved (p<0.05) in broilers fed the GP and HBLP incorporated diets compared with the control group. The relative mRNA expression levels of TLR 2, TLR 4 and TLR 7 in the peripheral blood of the broilers were found to be increased (p<0.05) in the birds supplemented with graded levels of the GP and HBLP as compared to the untreated group.Conclusion:The present work concludes that the inclusion of GP and HBLP could enhance the production performance and immune status of birds by augmenting the T-cell mediated immune response and thereby protects them from disease without decreasing growth traits as a possible substitution to conventional antimicrobials.
Highlights
Since time immemorial, traditional plants and their products, phytobiotics have been serving as an indispensable source of medicine in indigenous poultry production systems [1]
The relative mRNA expression levels of toll-like receptors (TLR) 2, TLR 4 and TLR 7 in the peripheral blood of the broilers were found to be increased (p
We have investigated whether the A. sativum and O. sanctum incorporated diets, in compliance with maintaining growth and production performance could increase the relative mRNA expression of toll-like receptors (TLR 2, TLR 4 and TLR 7) enhance immunological status of the broilers by modulating their immune response
Summary
Traditional plants and their products, phytobiotics have been serving as an indispensable source of medicine in indigenous poultry production systems [1]. There has been a vigorous emphasis on improving the growth and production performance in broiler industry which has adversely affected the immunological status of the broiler birds. This has thereby, altered the host defense mechanism by encountering the prevailing microbes such as bacteria, fungi, pathogenic viruses, endo and ecto-parasites, and several harmful toxins. Researchers are thinking toward the use of an array of antimicrobials of the herbal origin which have shown to possess multiple immunomodulatory actions such as phagocytosis, modulation of immunoglobulin and cytokine secretion, cellular co-receptor expression, class switching, lymphocyte expression, and histamine release [4]
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