Hypericum perforatum extract in broiler diets: effect on growth performance, carcass components, plasma constitutes, immunity and caecum microflora

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of Hypericum perforatum extract (HPE) on the growth performance, immunity and caecum microflora during a 42 days production cycle of broiler chickens. A total of 200 one-day-old chicks allotted to five treatments with four replicate pens in a completely randomized design with each receiving antibiotic (virginiamycin), 0 (basal diet as control), 150, 300 and 450 ppm of HPE in drinking water from 1 - 42 days of age. The average daily feed intake, weight gain and gain-to-feed ratio were measured. The weight of the carcass and other anatomical parts were recorded after evisceration at the various weeks of growth. At the end of the study period (six weeks), blood samples were taken for the determination of HDL, LDL, glucose and triglyceride levels including the immunoglobulin (IgG, IgM and IgT). A non-significant increase in weight gain was observed as the concentration of the H. perforatum extracts was increased from 0 to 450 ppm. Different concentrations of the H. perforatum extracts did affect the levels of glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL and LDL levels. An increase in IgG, IgM and IgT was observed at 42 days of age. It can be concluded that supplementation of H. perforatum through drinking water did improve the performance of broiler chickens during a 42 days production cycle.