الفهرس 
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Abstract
The present study was conducted in a Private Broiler Farm
located at Shebin El- kom, Menoufia Governorate, Egypt, in order to
investigate the effect of supplementing broiler diets with some
herbal plant’s powder; garlic1 (Allium sativum), thyme2 (Thyme
vulgaris) and their mixture, on the performance, carcass
characteristics and some serum parameters of broiler chicks under
experimental conditions.
Two hundred and ten one – day old, unsexed Arbor -
Acres chicks were used in this experiment. Chicks were wing
banded, weighed, and randomly allotted into seven treatment
groups, 3 replicates of 10 chicks per each group. Throughout the 5 -
weeks experimental period, chicks were given feed and water ad
libitum. Chicks were individually weighed weekly.
The experimental diets were designated as diets T1, T2, T3, T4,
T5, T6, and T7. Diet 1, control (with no garlic or thyme powder
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supplementation) while diets from T2 – T7 contained garlic or thyme
as follows:
T2: Control diet + 1% garlic powder. T3: Control diet + 2 % garlic
powder. T4: Control diet + 0.2 % thyme powder. T5: Control diet +
0.4 % thyme powder. T6: Control diet + 1 % garlic powder + 0.2 %
thyme powder. T7: Control diet + 2 % garlic powder + 0.4 % thyme
powder.
The basal corn- soybean meal (starter and finisher) diet used
contained ME of 3000 kcal/ kg diet and 82 % (DM) , 23% and 20.5%
( CP) , 1 % ( Ca) , and 0.53% (av. P). All diets were formulated to meet
the nutrient requirements of the chicks according to the strain catalog
recommendations. Artificial light was used beside the normal day light
to provide 24- hours / day photo period.
Performance parameters, feed conversion and carcass
characteristics or lymphoid organs and serum biochemical parameters
were estimated. Also, European efficiency index, economic and relative
economic efficiency were determined.
The results indicated that:
Body weight and body weight gain were progressively improved by
increasing dietary single or combined garlic and thyme powder.
Levels of 2% garlic + 0.4% thyme (T7) gave a body weight 2204g.
The smallest body weight gain (BWG) was obtained with 2% garlic
powder (T3); being 718 and 1999 g/ chick at 3 and 5 weeks,
respectively.
1-
Feed intake (FI) was significantly decreased (P≥ 0.05) throughout
the entire experimental period (0-5 weeks) by dietary single or
combined garlic and thyme powder except treatment T2 (1% garlic
powder, 101g) compared to the control treatment (102g).
2-
The average feed conversion ratio (FCR) was significantly (P ≤
0.05) improved with the supplementation. The overall FCR of the
control diet was 1.60 in comparison with (1.51, 1.41, 1.36, 1.34,
1.33and 1.34) for groups T2, T3, T4, T5, T6 and T7, respectively.
3-
Average water consumption of groups fed garlic powder either
single or mixed with thyme was significantly (P≤ 0.05) increased.
The highest values were obtained with groups fed 2% garlic (T3),
(127 ml/ b/ d) followed by the mixture of 2% garlic + 0.4% thyme
(T7), (123 ml/ b/ d) and chicks fed 1% garlic (112.46 ml/ b/ d)
compared to (105.50 ml/ b/ d) of the control diet.
4-
The European efficiency index (EEI) was significantly affected by
garlic or thyme supplementation single or mixed. The highest EEI
was obtained when chicks fed mixture of 2% garlic + 0.4%
thymeT7; 410.83 followed by a mixture of 1% garlic + 0.2%
thyme,T6; being 400.38). Meanwhile, PN was 399.63 when chicks
fed the highest level of thyme (0.4%), T5; compared to 309.16 at
the control group.
5-
Performance index (PI) was significantly increased with garlic and
thyme supplementation. The best PI was obtained when chicks fed
2% garlic + 0.4% thyme powder (T7) being, 144.05 in comparison
with the control group being, 108.15. There were no significant
6-
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differences between chicks fed 0.4% thyme (T5), 139.80 and both
mixture levels (T6 and T7) being, 139.22 and 144.05, respectively.
Slaughter weight was slightly increased with herbal extract
supplementation. Chicks fed 0.4% thyme had the highest dressing
percent (73.35%) when compared to 66.23 % for the control group.
7-
Lymphoid organs were significantly increased with different
supplementation levels except chicks fed the supplementation of
2% garlic powder at 3 and 5 weeks; lymphoid organs were equal to
or less than the control (4, 1.23 and 2.87), (8, 3.13 and 7.29),
respectively vs. (4.67, 1.26 and 2.94), (6.67, 3.13 and 7.30) at the
control group.
8-
Garlic and thyme powder significantly (P≤ 0.05) increased total
protein, albumin, globulin and A/G ratio. The highest total protein
value at 5 weeks of age was 3.79 at T6 compared to the control
group (2.64).
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Total cholesterol was significantly decreased with garlic or thyme
supplementation. Cholesterol values at 3 weeks of age were 125,
120, 130, 133, 129 and 135 mg/ dl for T2, T3, T4, T5, T6 and T7,
respectively in comparison with 146 mg/ dl for the control group
(T1). Whereas, at 5 weeks of age, total cholesterol values were 117,
114, 125, 130, 128 and 121 mg/ dl for T2, T3, T4, T5, T6 and T7,
respectively compared to 139 mg/ dl for the control group (T1).
10-
Garlic and thyme supplementation decreased serum aspartate
aminotransferase (AST) and Alanine aminotransferase (ALT)
enzymes. The lowest AST and ALT values at 3 weeks of age were
(216 and 223 U/ L) and (6.34 and 6.15 U/L) for 1 and 2% garlic
supplementation, respectively. The same trend was noticed at 5
weeks of age, the lowest AST and ALT values were (323 and 290
U/ L) and (11 and 11.33 U/L) for 1 and 2% garlic supplementation,
respectively.
11- Garlic and thyme supplementation decreased serum aspartate
aminotransferase (AST) and Alanine aminotransferase (ALT)
enzymes. The lowest AST and ALT values at 3 weeks of age were
(216 and 223 U/ L) and (6.34 and 6.15 U/L) for 1 and 2% garlic
supplementation, respectively. The same trend was noticed at 5
weeks of age, the lowest AST and ALT values were (323 and 290
U/ L) and (11 and 11.33 U/L) for 1 and 2% garlic supplementation,
respectively.