Mortality, production performance, water intake and organ weight of the heat stressed broiler chicken given savory ( Satureja khuzistanica ) essential oils through drinking water.

An experiment was conducted to examine the effects on mortality, production performance, water intake (WI) and organ weight ofSatureja khuzistanicaessential oil (SkEO) using 720 one-day-old Arian broiler chicks in a 42-day trial. Experimental treatments were addition of 0 (control−), 200, 300, 400 and 500 mg/L SkEO or 500 mg/L polysorbate-80 (control+) into drinking water. The birds were kept under natural ambient temperatures 4–6°C above standard recommendation from days 22 to 42 of age. Addition of SkEO into drinking water at 200 and 500 mg/L decreased weight gain (P< 0.05) of the birds from days 29 to 35 of age with no differences in feed intake (FI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to control groups (P> 0.05). Addition of 300 and 500 mg/L SkEO into water increased mortality rate of the birds mainly from days 29 to 42 of age. The calculated European broiler index was greater for the birds receiving drinking water supplemented with 400 mg/L of SkEO compared with the other birds. In conclusion, administration of SkEO at 400 mg/L through drinking water to heat stressed broiler chickens may result in improved production performance efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]