title: Effect of Scrophularia striata and Ferulago angulata, as alternatives to virginiamycin, on growth performance, intestinal microbial population, immune response, and blood constituents of broiler chickens.
abstract: An experiment was conducted to investigate the comparative effect of Scrophularia striata, Ferulago angulata, and virginiamycin (VM) on performance, intestinal microbial population, immune response, and blood constituents of broilers. A total of 300 Ross 308 male broiler chickens were randomly assigned to 5 treatments, with 5 replicates/treatment (10 chickens/pen). Birds were fed either a corn-soybean meal basal diet (control) or the basal diet supplemented with 200 mg/kg VM; 4 g/kg S. striata (SS1); 8 g/kg S. striata (SS2); 4 g/kg F. angulata (FA1); or 8 g/kg F. angulata (FA2). After 6 wk, the BW, ADG, and feed-to-gain ratio (F:G) of the VM, SS1, and FA1 groups were better (P<0.01) compared with the control group. At 42 d, cecal lactobacillus counts were higher (P=0.032) in SS2 and FA2 groups compared with the control and VM groups. In addition, broilers fed any of the diets exhibited lower coliform counts (P<0.05) in the ileum and ceca than those fed the control diet. Total and IgG antibody titers against SRBC for secondary responses, relative spleen weight, and lymphocyte counts were higher (P<0.05) in birds fed the SS2 or FA2 diet compared with the control group. Moreover, feeding the SS2 or FA2 diet decreased (P<0.05) the blood heterophil/lymphocyte ratio and plasma triglyceride level, whereas only the SS2 diet increased (P=0.037) the white blood cell counts compared with the control diet. All diets, except for the VM diet, decreased (P=0.009) the plasma cholesterol level compared to the control treatment. The plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level was also increased (P=0.042) in the SS2 and FA2 groups. In conclusion, dietary S. striata or F. angulata at a level of 4 g/kg diet enhanced growth performance, which was comparable to that of VM used as an antibiotic growth promoter. Furthermore, a high dose of both herbs (8 g/kg diet) could beneficially affect the intestinal health and immune status of broilers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran.
authors.forename: Farhad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rostami
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Arak University, 38156-8-8349 Arak, Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Ghasemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ilam University, Ilam, Iran k.taherpour@ilam.ac.ir kamran_taherpour@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Kamran
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taherpour
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019661:Apiaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D002645:Chickens / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000502:physiology*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000032:analysis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D032266:Scrophularia / Q000737:chemistry*; D014769:Virginiamycin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014769:Virginiamycin
keywords: Ferulago angulata; Scrophularia striata; broiler performance; immune response; intestinal microflora