Effect of poultry feed supplemented with Hypericum perforatum extract and virginiamycine on growth performance, some immune responses and intestinal microbial population of broilers

This study investigated the effect of adding Hypericum perforatum to drinkable water in comparison to virginiamycine on performance of broilers and thus on improvement and increase welfare and growth. A total of 400, one day old broiler chicks with an average weight of 37±50 g were divided into 5 treatment groups and were further subdivided into 4 replicates. The treatments were divided as basal diet with no Hypericum perforatum extract kept as control, and for others 150 mg/l (S1), 200 mg/l (S2) and 250 mg/l (S3) of herbal extract in their Drinking water and virginiamycine (S4) were used respectively. The live body weight gains and feed consumption of birds were measured individually feed conversion efficiency were calculated weekly. At the end of the trial for investigating the effect of using Hypericum perforatum and virginiamycine on performance of broilers, 3 birds form each replicates were slaughtered and some blood samples were taken for determination HDL, LDL, Triglyceride levels and antibody titer against Newcastle vaccine. Data showed that use of S1, S2 and S3 and S4 increased FI significantly (P<0.05) in comparison to control. Also BW and Pre-slaughter weigh at the end of the experiment were also significantly higher (P<0.05) in experimental groups compared to the control. Liver percentage was significantly induced were broilers fed with experimental diets (p<0.05). There were significant differences (p<0.05) for heart percentage between treatments. Using of herbal plant extract could reduce abdominal fat percentage statistically (p<0.05).Percentage of gizzard was higher in the control group and it was at the lowest in virginiamycine group (p<0.05). triglyceride, cholesterol and LDL level decreased significantly in the treated groups while HDL level increased significantly in S1, S2,S3and S4. Antibody titers were significantly higher (p<0.05) when broilers were fed by S1, S2, S3and S4. It was determined that herbal and virginiamycine had significant effects on HI test (p<0.05) that compared to control group. Data showed that E. coli population decreased in S1, S2, S3 and S4 while Lactobacillus population increased significantly in S4, S3,S2 and S1 respectively (p<0.05).