Research Article
Al-Yasiry RMA, Jawad SAH, M
Abstract
A total of 300 Ross 308 broiler chickens, 7 days old, comprised the subjects in this study. They were randomly distributed into 5 treatments of 3 replicates each (15 bird/rpt). Boswellia was ground and mixed in drinking water of chickens during the whole period of the experiment, which lasted for 35 days, at levels of 0g (T1: Control), 2 g Boswellia carterii/l liter water (T2), 3 g Boswellia. carterii/l liter water (T3), 2 g Boswellia. serrata/l liter water (T4), and 3 g Boswellia.serrata / l liter water (T5). Growth performance parameters which included body weight, weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, mortality and EBI were reported every week during the experiment. Moreover, three birds per replicate, 35 days old, were slaughtered to assay the hematological characteristics and immune response parameters. The results tevealed that the fifth treatment (3gBs/l water) showed considertable improvement (P<0.05) in productivity traits (body weight, weight gain), hematological traits (RBC count, Hb concentration, PCV volume, total protein, globuline), and immune responses (Antibody titers against avian influenza virus, DTH test and bursa ratio) and decreased (p>0.05) feed intake, feed conversion ratio, albumin, glucose and cholesterol, followed by T4, T3, T2 respectively in comparison with control (T1). It was concluded that broilers that received Boswellia (BC, BS) especially T5 could have positively affected growth performance and well being of the broiler chickens.