Due to its high nutritional value and antioxidant and antimicrobial properties , purslane was selected as the target plant for the present study to investigate the effect of adding purslane powder on the flock performance, and immune response against Newcastle and infectious bursal disease. purslane seeds was purchased from medicinal company from India and after preparation was used as ۱% powder. In order to investigate the effect of purslane powder on the performance and immunity system of broiler chickens, an experiment was conducted using ۱۸۰ one-day-old Ross ۳۰۸ broiler chickens. This experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design with three treatments, four replicates and ۱۵ birds each. The experimental treatments were negative control (basic feed without using purslane powder and without vaccination), positive control (basic feed without adding purslane powder but vaccinated against Newcastle and infectious bursal disease virus( IBDV), and purslane group (basic feed with ۱% purslane powder and vaccination). The results of the experiment showed that performance indicators such as total weight at the end of the period, body weight gain, and European Production Efficiency Factor decreased with vaccination and increased significantly with the use of purslane powder in vaccinated chickens (p < ۰.۰۵). Antibody titer against
Newcastle disease virus in vaccinated chicks received purslane powder was more than vaccinated group without purslane but the difference was not significant (p>۰.۰۵). Antibody titer against IBD
vaccine increased in both vaccinated groups but in the purslane group antibody titer was significantly more than group, only vaccinated (p < ۰.۰۵). It was concluded that supplementing broiler feed with purslane, can improve broiler flock performance, enhance the immune response against ND and IBD vaccination, and positively affect on intestine microflora population.
