EFFECTS OF DIETARY ESSENTIAL OILS (Eucalyptus globulus) AS ALTERNATIVE TO ANTIBIOTICS IN BROILER

Abstract

The study was conducted to investigate the effects of different levels of Dietary Essential Oils (Eucalyptus globulus) on growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality and blood parameters in broiler. A total of 96 day old Ross 308 unsexed broiler chicks were randomly distributed into four dietary treatment groups: T0= Control (basal diet); T1= Antibiotics (basal diet+ 0.1% amoxiciline in drinking water); T2 = Essential oil (basal diet+ 0.4ml/L eucalyptus oil, DM basis ); T3= Essential oil (basal diet+ 0.8ml/L eucalyptus oil, DM basis). Each treatment group consist of 3 replications having 6 birds in a completely randomized design for 28 days trial period. Results indicated that, in 1st week T1 treatment group has the highest average daily gain (ADG). During 2nd ,3rd and 4th week T1 treament group has highest Average daily gain (ADG) while T0 stands for lowest in every week (P< 0.05). But in terms of FCR T3 has the highest feed conversion ratio while T1 has the lowest. A significant increase in blood HDL level while decreased LDL and total cholesterol in all treatments compared to control (P< 0.05). Considering meat quality, crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE) and ashes were decreased singnificantly in all treatment groups compared to control. In case of mortality T3 treatment group has shown the best result compared to control group. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of Eucalyptus globulius essential oil decreased weekly weight gain, better FCR, decreased mortality, CP, EE, total ashes and blood HDL level. On the other hand, it reduced blood LDL and total cholesterol level.