Effect of xylanase and galbanum essential oil‎ (Ferula gumosa Boiss) supplementation of wheat-based diets on performance and intestinal microflora of ‎broiler chickens

In order to investigate the effects of Galbanum essential oil (GEO) and xylanase on performance and intestinal microflora of broiler chicks, a total of 160 one-day old chicks (Ross 308 strain) were used to four dietary treatments based on a completely randomized design in a factorial arrangement. The factors included were xylanase (0 and 0.2 gr/kg of diet) and GEO (0 and 0.1 gr/kg of diet). During the experimental periods (0-10 d, 11-24 d and 25-42 d), body weight gain (BWG), feed intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were measured. At days 21 and 42 of age two chicks from each replicate were slaughtered to determine carcass characteristic and ileal microbial populations of E. coli and Lactobacillus. Adding enzymes to the diet increased BWG in growing period and improved FCR in the growing and in the entire period of the experiment. At 21 day of age, GEO supplementation alone or GEO and xylanase as mixed significantly (P