Effect of clove essential oil nanoemulsion on performance of broiler chickens fed diet based on wheat

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of clove essential oil nanoemulsion (CEON) on performance of broiler chickens fed wheat-based diet. A total of 280 day-old broiler chicks (Ross 308, mix sex) were used in a completely randomized design with seven treatments and four replicats. The experimental treatments were; 1- control, 2- control supplemented with enzyme (En), 3- control supplemented with 200 mg/kg clove essential oil (CEO) and 4 to 7 were control supplemented with 200, 150, 100 and 50 mg/kg of CEON, respectively. The results of this experiment showed that in the whole rearing period, the feed intake and body weight gain of birds fed diets supplemented with 200 mg/kg CEON decreased significantly compared with control and En treatments (P≤0.05). In the whole period of experiment, chicks fed diets supplemented with CEO and 50 mg/kg CEON had better feed conversion ratio compared with control group (P≤0.05). Serum triglyceride concentration decreased significantly in chicks fed diets containing different levels of CEON compared to En treatment (P≤0.05). Relative weight of bursa increased in chicks fed diets containing CEO and 200 mg/kg CEON in comparison with control treatment. Supplementation broiler diets with CEO and 200, 150 and 100 mg/kg CEON decreased significantly Escherichia coli populations of cecal content (P≤0.05). According to the results of this experiment, supplementation broiler wheat-based diets with CEON may decrease Escherichia coli populations of cecal content.