Effect of herbal feed additives on performance parameters, intestinal microbiota, intestinal morphology and meat lipid oxidation of broiler chickens

ABSTRACT1. This feeding trial investigated the effects of herbal feed additives on performance of broiler chickens, jejunal and caecal microbiota, jejunal morphology, meat chemical composition and oxidative stability during refrigerated storage.2. In a 42 days trial, 320 one-day-old broiler chickens were randomly allocated to 4 groups with 4 replicate pens each containing 20 chicks. The control group was fed maize–soybean-based diets. The diets of the other three groups were supplemented with herbal feed additives: HRB1 with StresomixTM (0.5 g/kg feed); HRB2 with AyuceeTM (1.0 g/kg feed); HRB3 with Salcochek ProTM (1.0 g/kg feed). The GC/MS analysis of the feed additives showed that the major components of HRB1 were β-caryophyllene (14.4%) and menthol (9.8%); HRB2 were n-hexadecanoic acid (14.22%) and β-caryophyllene (14.4%); and HRB3 were menthol (69.6%) and clavicol methyl ether (13.9%).3. Intestinal samples were taken at 42 day to determine bacterial populations (total aerobe counts, Lactobacilli, and ...