Use of essential oils in the diet of slow-growing broilers and their effects on performance

ABSTRACT This study proposes to examine the effect of supplementing diet slow-growing broilers with essential oils. A total 270 one-day-old female chicks Pesadão Vermelho line, reared in an intensive system, were allocated one three treatments (1: Control, without addition oils; 2: Feed supplemented cinnamon oil; and 3: lemongrass oil) a completely randomized design nine replicates 10 birds each. Growth performance variables evaluated at 14, 28, 42, 56, 70 days, whereas carcass yield, primal cuts, internal organs analyzed 71 days age. Data subjected analysis variance differences between means compared using Scott-Knott test 5% probability. Supplementation oil improved live weight 42 as well feed conversion efficiency 56 rearing (P<0.05). The oils provided highest thigh yields other did not show statistically significant (P>0.05) treatments.