Effects of Tarragon Powders’ Different Levels (Artemisia Dracunculus) on General Performance and Anetometric Properties of Digestive System of Male Broiler Chickens

This study was designed to investigate the effects of different levels of Tarragon powder on general performance and Anetometric, properties of digestive system of male broiler chickens. 200 one-day-old Ross 308 male broiler chickens in a completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 5 replicates per treatment and 10 birds in each replicate were used. Experimental diets were set on the basis of corn-soy-wheat and Ross 308 broiler chickens nutritional requirements tables by the use of UFFDA ration formulation software. Treatments were: base diet (control), base diet + 0.125% of Tarragon powder, base diet + 0.25% of Tarragon powder, base diet + 0.5% of Tarragon powder. The results of experiment showed that experimental dietaries caused no significant difference between the Feed Intake of different treatments statistically (P>0.05). The consumption of experimental rations decreased body weight significantly in 0.5% Tarragon treatment when compared with control treatment in 1- 42 days old (P<0.05). The consumption of experimental rations caused statistically significant increase of 0.5 %Tarragon powder treatment’s conversion ratio when compared with control treatment and 0.125 % Tarragon powder treatment in 1- 42 days old (P<0.01). The results of the experiment showed that the consumption of experimental rations didn’t have any effect on the relative weight of digestive system’s accessories significantly (gizzard, Bursa, stomach and Pancreas) and weight and length of digestive parts’ (Duodenum, Jejunum, Ileum, Secum, Rectum, and whole small intestine) in different treatments in the whole process of raising in 1 to 42 days old (P<0.05). It seems that adding Artemisia dracunculus (Tarragon) powder 0. 5 % level has had negative effect on the performance of broiler chickens in the whole process of husbandry, but in comparison with its effect on digestive parts’ weight and length, it has had no significant effect on them.