Supplementation of Clove Essential Oils and Probiotic to the Broiler’s Diet on Performance, Carcass Traits and Blood Components

This study was carried out to determine the effect of different levels of clove essential oil, as a natural growth promoter and probiotic on performance, carcass traits and serum components of broiler chickens. A total of 240 straight run day-old commercial broiler chicks (Cobb 500) were distributed randomly into five groups. Each group was subdivided into four replicates with 12 chicks each. The control diet, diet with pro-biotic protexin®, and diets supplemented with 150, 300 and 450 ppm clove essential oil were fed to the chickens. The results showed that from 11-22 days, feed intake (FI), and body weight gain (BWG) were increased significantly in control group compared to the other groups. However, from 23-42 d and 0-42 days of the experiment, feed intake (FI) and body weight gain (BWG) were increased significantly in broil-ers fed 450 ppm clove essential oil compare to those of control group (P < 0.05). Also, clove essential oil at the level of 450 ppm increased feed intake (FI), body weight gain (BWG) and improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) in finisher period (P < 0.05). Results show that different levels of clove essential oil and probi-otic had not any significant effect on dressing percentage, abdominal fat and internal organs percentage (liver, heart and gizzard) (P > 0.05). The results revealed significant decrease in total cholesterol concentra-tion in diets supplemented with probiotic and 450 ppm clove essential oil at 21 day of age (P < 0.05). Total cholesterol concentration, low density lipoprotein (LDL), and cholesterol / high density lipoprotein (HDL) ratio at 42 day of age were significantly improved in probiotic protexin® group compare to those of other groups (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 450 ppm clove essential oil improved feed intake (FI), body weight gain (BWG), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and decreased total cholesterol concen-tration (P < 0.05). Probiotic could decrease serum cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL), cholesterol / high density lipoprotein (HDL) and improve HDL / LDL at day 42 broiler chickens (P < 0.05).