STUDY THE EFFECTS OF FEEDING DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SWEET BASIL SEEDS ON GROWTH, IMMUNE RESPONSE AND MEAT COMPOSITION OF BROILERS

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of sweet basil seeds supplementation of a commercial broiler diet on the performance, meat composition and immune response. Three dietary treatments (50 birds treat- ment-1) with two replicates (25 birds replicate-1) one day old straight run broilers chicks (Ross 308). G1 (as control group) birds fed basal diet without any additive, while G2 and G3 fed diet supplemented daily with 0.3 and 0.6% sweet basil seeds respectively to the end of the experiment (42 days) to investigate the antibody titer against Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and infectious bronchitis (IB) and broiler performance as well as meat composition included amino acids in meat. Results showed that the two levels of sweet basil seeds supplementation (0.3 and 0.6%) had a beneficial effect on the antibody titer against (NDV) and (IB) and the high level (0.6%) was more significant against (NDV) while the low level (0.3%) was more significant against (IB). The high levels of antibodies titers were considered as the indicative of antiviral activity of Ocimum basilicum seeds. In addition, the results revealed less feed intake with significant (p≤0.05) improvement of feed conversion ratio in treatment groups compared with control group. Meat amino acids Isoleucine, Leucine, Lycine and Theronine were increased significantly (p≤0.05) in treatment groups compared with control group attributed to add of sweet basil seeds in diets. In conclusion, Ocimum basilicum seeds supplementation in commercial broiler diets was beneficial to broiler performance and enhance immune traits and change in meat composition.