Comparing the effects of six herbal extracts and antibiotic virginiamycin on immune response and serum lipids in broiler chickens

The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of medicinal plants on growth performance، immune system and blood parameters of broilers. In this study، a total of 480 one-d-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were randomly allocated to eight experimental groups، each with three replications and 20 birds in each replicate. The basal diet was consumed with 15-ppm virginiamycin and the plant extracts of Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus L.)، German chamomile (Matricaria chammomilla L.)، Yarrow (Achillea millefolium L.)، Iranian caraway (Bunium persicum (Boiss.) B. Fedtsch.)، Garlic (Allium sativum L.) and licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.)، at 0. 1% in drinking water. At day 41، three birds of each experimental unit were bled to measure haematocrit، cholesterol، triglyceride، total protein، uric acid، LDL and HDL. The birds were vaccinated against Newcastle disease (ND) via drinking water at day 23 and blood samples were taken at days 34 and 41. The highest ND titer and antibody titer to SRBC was observed in German chamomile group and eucalyptus group (p<0. 05)، respectively. The highest level of serum triglyceride was observed in virginiamycin group at day 42; however، it was not statistically significant with control group (p<0. 05). The lowest level of cholesterol was measured in garlic group (p<0. 05)، and the lowest level of LDL was determined in eucalyptus group (p<0. 05).