The Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Different Levels of Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and Ginger (Zingiber officinale) Essential Oils on Performance, Hematological, Biochemical and Immunological Parameters of Broiler Chickens

Abstract

2 Abstract: This trial was conducted to monitor the effects of dietary supplementation of thyme and ginger oils on performance, hematological, biochemical and immunological parameters of broilers. The study was carried out on 105 one day-old commercial Ross 208 broiler chicks classified into seven groups each of 15. The control group received only the basal diet. The other experimental groups received plus the basal diet, the experimental diets including thyme oil at levels of 100 (T100), 200 (T200) and 300 (T300) mg/kg and ginger oil at levels of 100 (G100), 200 (G200) and 300 (G300) mg/kg. The results showed that the dietary thyme and ginger essential oils did not result in any significant effects on performance parameters. The hematological data implicated a significant increase in packed cell volume and hemoglobin in T200 and in total leukocytic count and heterophil percent in T200 and G100. Total protein and globulin significantly increased in T200 and decreased in groups G200 and G300. Groups T100 and G100 demonstrated the best effect on lipid profile. Immunologically, there was a significant increase in phagocytic activity of heterophils and antibody titers against Newcastle disease (ND) and Infectious Bursal disease (IBD) viruses in T200 and G100. It could be concluded that thyme and ginger oils at levels of 200 and 100 mg/kg respectively are the best treatments in improving the immunological profile of broiler chickens throughout stimulation of innate immunity by increasing phagocytic capacity of heterophils and humoral immunity by increasing antibody production.