Effect of Thymbra spicata and Echinacea purpurea powders on performance parameters and thigh muscle quality of broiler chickens challenged with Campylobacter jejuni

In order to evaluate the effects of Thymbra spicata and Echinacea purpurea powders on quality of thigh muscle in broiler chickens orally challenged with Campylobacter jejuni, a total of 192 one day old broiler chickens (Ross 308) were randomly assigned to six dietary treatments in a completely randomized design with four replicates of eight birds for 42 days of age. The experimental dietary treatments included: 1) basal diet without additive (control group); 2, 3) basal diet supplemented with Thymbra spicata powder (2.5 and 5 g/kg); 4, 5) basal diet supplemented with Echinacea purpurea powder (2.5 and 5 g/kg) and 6) basal diet supplemented with Erythromycin (0.275 g/kg). All of the chicks were oral-gavaged with Campylobacter jejuni (4×1011 cfu/mL, one mL per bird) on d 21. In the finisher and entire periods, broiler chickens fed Echinacea purpurea (2.5 g/kg), Echinacea purpurea (5 g/kg), and Thymbra spicata (2.5 g/kg) had a higher feed efficiency than those on control diet (P<0.05). Moreover, feeding broiler chickens on diets supplemented with Echinacea purpurea (5 g/kg) and Thymbra spicata (2.5 g/kg) caused a decrease in malondialdehyde concentration of thigh muscle (P<0.05). Furthermore, broiler chickens fed diet containing Thymbra spicata (5 g/kg) had higher press loss (41/2%) and lower crude protein (22.7%) in thigh muscle (P<0.05). According to current results, Echinacea purpurea and Thymbra spicata powders at level of 2.5 g/kg could be recommended because of improving performance and reducing malondialdehyde.