Effects of Salvia mirzayanii leaf powder on performance and cecal microbial population of broilers

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary Salvia mirzayanii supplementation on performance, carcass characteristics, internal organs and cecal microbial population in broilers. A total of 200, one-day-old broiler chicks (Ross 308) were fed five experimental diets containing different levels of S. mirzayanii (zero, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and one percent of diet) until 42 days of age. From 1-21 days of age, birds fed one percent S. mirzayanii) had lower body weight gain and feed intake and higher feed conversion ratio (P<0.05). Regarding 22-42 days of age and whole of experiment (1-42), feed conversion ratio in birds fed diet containing 0.5 percent S. mirzayanii significantly (P<0.05) decreased compared with control group. Relative carcass and breast muscle weights of birds fed one percent S. mirzayanii were lower than other groups (P<0.05). Using S. mirzayanii at the levels of 0.25 and 0.5 percent significantly increased cecal lactic acid bacterial population (P<0.05). Feeding with the levels higher than 0.5 percent S. mirzayanii decreased cecal coliforms compared with control group (P<0.05). Based on results of this experiment, using 0.5 percent S. mirzayanii leaf powder in diet of broilers would improve cecal microbial population as well as growth performance.