Effect of different levels of Aloe vera on performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality and blood parameters of broiler chicks

This study was conducted to evaluate the use of different levels of Aloe vera gel and antibiotic neomycin on performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality and some blood parameters in broiler chickens. The amount of 180 male Ross 308 broiler chicks in a completely randomized design with 5 treatments and 3 replicates with 12 broiler chicks per replicate were used. Experimental treatments were: control group (without additives), different levels 1.5, 2 and 2.5 percent aloe vera gel and the antibiotic neomycin (0.2 g per kg diet). Feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, carcass characteristics, some blood parameters and meat quality were measured. The final and whole period, respectively, chicks had received 2, 2.5 and 2 percent Aloe vera gel showed the lowest feed intake and the greatest increase in weight gain in growth period (P