Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Food and Feed Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #318438
Title: Performance in broiler chickens supplemented with Mexican oregano oil Lippia berlandieri Schauer

Author
item SILVA-VAZQUEZ, RAMON - Universidad Autonoma De Chihuahua
item DURAN-MELENDEZ, LORENZO - Universidad Autonoma De Chihuahua
item SANTELLANO-ESTRADA, EDUARDO - Universidad Autonoma De Chihuahua
item RODRIGUEZ-MUELA, CARLOS - Universidad Autonoma De Chihuahua
item VILLALOBOS-VILLALOBO, GUILLERMO - Universidad Autonoma De Chihuahua
item MENDEZ-ZAMORA, GERARDO - Universidad Autonoma De Chihuahua
item Hume, Michael

Submitted to: Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/25/2015
Publication Date: 9/11/2015
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/61510
Citation: Silva-Vazquez, R., Duran-Melendez, L.A., Santellano-Estrada, E., Rodriguez-Muela, C., Villalobos-Villalobo, G., Mendez-Zamora, G., Hume, M.E. 2015. Performance in broiler chickens supplemented with Mexican oregano oil Lippia berlandieri Schauer. Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia. 44:283-289.

Interpretive Summary: The objective of this research was to evaluate the inclusion of Mexican oregano oil (MOO) in the broiler chicken diet on broiler weight, feed intake, feed efficiency, average daily gain, and water intake. Weights in broilers given MOO were higher at the end of the study than for control broilers not given MOO. Total feed intake and total water intake were lower in control broilers compared to broilers given MOO. Feed efficiency, or the amount of feed converted to body weight, was slightly better in the control broilers. In conclusion, Mexican oregano oil in broiler feed had a beneficial effect on weight gain compared to broilers on the control diet. Higher relative body weights suggest positive market value effects of MOO in broiler diets. These results are of interest to growers and researchers seeking alternative feed additives to enhance broiler production.

Technical Abstract: The objective of this research was to evaluate the inclusion of two qualities of Mexican oregano oil (MOO) in the broiler diet on broiler weight, feed intake, feed efficiency, average daily gain, and water intake. The qualities were MOO1 (4% thymol, 60% carvacrol) and MOO2 (40% thymol, 20% carvacrol). Nine treatments (T) were prepared by the combinations of MOO1 + MOO2 (0, 400 and 800 mg kg-1; added per kg of feed) respectively: T1 (0+0), T2 (0+400), T3 (0+800), T4 (400+0), T5 (400+400), T6 (400+800), T7 (800+0), T8 (800+400), and T9 (800+800). Eighteen chicks per treatment were divided by completely random design into nine cages. Broiler weights were altered by the treatments at 21 d, where T5 had the highest weight, and on day 39, where the greatest weight was seen in T7 and T8 broilers. Feed intake was affected by treatment on day 39, with T7 broilers exhibiting the highest. Water intake was influenced by the treatments on days 14, 21, 35, and 39, where T1 represented the lowest. Feed efficiency was altered by the treatments on days 14, 28, 35, and 39, whereas average daily gain was affected from 14 to 39 days. In conclusion, supplementation of Mexican oregano oil had beneficial effects on broiler weight, feed efficiency, average daily gain, and feed and water intake. Combinations of thymol and carvacrol levels had varying effects on these parameters. Higher relative body weights from T4, T7, and T8 suggest positive market value effects of these MOO mixtures.