Influence of Essential Oil Components on Growth Performance and the Functional Activity of the Pancreas and Small Intestine in Broiler Chickens*

To investigate the efficacy of alternatives to antibiotics, the present study was conducted to compare the effects of antibiotic, lactic acid, a blend of commercial essential oils (EOs) and EOs in combination with lactic acid on growth performance and the functional activity of the gut in broiler chickens. A total of 168 broiler chickens were given the basal diet supplemented with 10 ppm colistin (T1), 0.1% lactic acid (T2), 25 ppm EOs (T3), 25 ppm EOs+0.1% lactic acid (T4), 50 ppm EOs (T5) or 50 ppm EOs+0.1% lactic acid (T6) in the period 3 to 35 days of age. As a result, the broiler chickens assigned to T4 group throughout the experimental period had apparently (p<0.05) greater body weight and total gain than these assigned to T1, T2, T3 and T5 groups. However, there was no difference in growth performance among the birds fed the diets supplemented with antibiotic (T1), lactic acid (T2) and EOs (T3 and T5) alone. The weights of digestive organs and the number of lactobacilli and E. coli in the lower ileum were not affected by dietary treatments. Total trypsin activity was significantly (p<0.05) greater in T4 than T1, T2, T3 and T5 groups. Total and specific pancreatic αamylase activities were significantly (p<0.05) enhanced in the broiler chickens fed T4 diet compared with these fed T1, T2 and T3 diets. However, there were no differences in growth performance and digestive enzyme activities including pancreatic trypsin and α-amylase between T4 and T6 groups fed the diets supplemented with either low or high EOs levels in combination of lactic acid. In conclusion, a blend of commercial EOs combined with lactic acid showed significant increases in digestive enzyme activities of the pancreas and intestinal mucosa, leading to increase in growth performance. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2004. Vol 17, No. 3 : 394-400)