Effect of the supplementation of essential oils of oregano on the digestibility and productive parameters in broilers

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effect of the Essential Oil of Oregano (AEO) as a natural alternative to antibiotics growth promoters, on the productive parameters of broilers, nutrient digestibility and Apparent Metabolizable Energy (EMA). We used 360 male broilers from day-old, line Hybro distributed in six treatments, five replicates and twelve chickens per repetition for a period of 42 days, and under a completely randomized design. The experimental treatments were: 1) control without supplementation (C) 2) 500 ppm chlortetracycline (AB), 200 ppm of AEO March 3 varieties grown in the savannah of Bogotá. 3) O. Vulgare (OV). 4) O. Majorana. (OM), 5) O. H. vulgare (OVH) and 6) 50 ppm AEO grown in Greece, O. H. vulgare (OVHG). The variables evaluated were: body weight, weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion, mortality, European efficiency factor (SEF). For the study of digestibility of nutrients and the EMA was added 0.5% chromium oxide (Cr2O3) as an indigestible marker between the days of 17-23. Chicks supplemented with OM AB and showed the highest (P <0., 05) body weight to 21 twenty-one days of age, compared with OVHG (779 and 770 vs. 723 g. The highest value of EMA was introduced with the OM group 3087 kcal / kg. The group supplemented with OV presented a decrease in mortality by 11.1% compared to group C