Effect of Peganum harmala Seeds on Blood Factors, Immune Response and Intestinal Selected Bacterial Population in Broiler Chickens

This experiment was designed to study the effects of feeding different levels of Peganum harmala seeds (PHS) and antibiotic on serum biochemical parameters, immune response and intestinal microflora composition in Ross (۳۰۸) broiler chickens. A total of ۲۴۰ one-d-old unsexed broiler chickens were randomly allocated to each of the ۴ treatment groups, each with ۴ replicate pens of ۱۵ chicks. The dietary treatments included of control (C) - without PHS and antibiotic - the diet contains ۳۰۰ mg/Kg Lincomycin ۰.۸۸% (A) and the diets contain ۲g/Kg (H۱) and ۴g/Kg (H۲) PHS. The chicks were raised on floor pens for ۶ weeks. Blood samplings were performed for determine of antibody titer against Newcastle disease on ۱۴ and ۲۱ days and for biochemical parameters on ۴۲ days of age. The populations of Lactobacilli spp. and Escherichia coli were enumerated in ileum by conventional microbiological techniques using selective agar media. Inclusion of PHS in diet resulted in a significant decrease in total cholesterol and significant increase in HDL relative to the control and antibiotic groups. Antibody titer against NDV was not affected by experimental treatments. The E. coli population in birds supplemented with antibiotic and PHS was significantly lower than control but the Lactobacilli spp. population increased only by antibiotic and not by PHS. In conclusion, the results of this study showed that addition of Peganum harmala seeds powder seem to have had a positive influence on some biochemical parameters and gastrointestinal microflora

کلیدواژه ها:

broiler ، peganum harmala ، antibiotic ، biochemical parameters ، immune system