Effects of fenugreek and fennel seeds on growth performance and reducing the population of gut micro flora in broiler chicks

Trigonella foenum-graecum (Fenugreek) and Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel)، in feed on growth performance traits including: Average daily feed intake (ADFI)، average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion rate (FCR) and on antimicrobial activity of gut micro flora traits including: total number of bacteria in samples (TNB)، number of G- bacteria in samples (NGB)، number of Coli form bacteria in samples (NCFB) and recognition of Salmonella throughout the samples gathered from Ileum of chicks of different treatments. Trial containing 4 treatments (rations) and 3 replicates with 12 pens and 15 chickens per each pen (totally 180 chicks). Rations were balanced by NRC tables for different stages of growth from 1-21 and 21-42 days of old. The treatments were: 1. Control diet (without additives)، 2. Diet accompanied with 2 mentioned mixed powder plants (0. 5% of total diet)، 3. Diet with TF mixed powder plant and 4. Diet with FV mixed powder plant. All of additives through of diets were mixed to 0. 5% of total diet weights. According to the results the most ADFI (116. 19 and 116. 02gr/d) and ADG (53. 30 and 52. 98gr/d) related to treatment number 4 and 2 respectively. They were significantly different with other treatments (p<0. 05). Mentioned measures for treatments number 3 and 1 (control) were 103. 19، 112. 88 and 45. 26، 50. 39 gr/d respectively. FCR for treatment number 4، 2، 3 and 1 were 2. 19، 2. 18 2. 28 and 2. 24 respectively. The treatment group of 4 and 2 had a significant different with 3 or 1 (p<0. 05). Also culturing analysis of gut micro flora samples shown that the lowest total count of bacteria (TNB) belonged to number 2 and then 3 treatments with measure of 8. 83 for both of them (on basis of log10). The highest count belonged to control and then to number 4 treatments with counting of 10. 00 and 9. 50 respectively. The differences between two groups were significant (p<0. 05). By the same way، this algorithm repeated for counting of G- and Coli form bacteria، so the treatments 3 and 2 had the lowest (7. 33 and 7. 83 for G-، 6. 00 and 6. 50 for Coli form)، and the treatments 1 and 4 had the highest (both 9. 33 for G-، 9. 00 and 7. 17 for Coli form) counting of bacteria through the samples. The differences between this two groups for 2 type of bacteria were significant (p<0. 05). Results of culturing and isolating Salmonella for all the samples were negative.