. 2023 May 30;14:1184636. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1184636

TABLE 4.

Evaluation of essential oils (EO) and herbal betaine on performance parameters of broiler chickens exposed to cyclic heat stress ^a .

Performance	Thermoneutral	Heat stress	Heat stress + EO1	Heat stress + EO2
Body weight (g)
0	41.1 ± 0.39	41.2 ± 0.23	40.8 ± 0.29	41.3 ± 0.33
10	262.9 ± 8.39^ab	268.4 ± 4.97^a	242.2 ± 10.81^b	253.8 ± 4.92^ab
28	1,607.8 ± 23.76^a	1,393.2 ± 17.78^b	1,325.4 ± 51.49^b	1,365.5 ± 28.11^b
42	3,187.2 ± 7.89^a	2,482.5 ± 84.42^c	2,650.3 ± 37.14^b	2,639.3 ± 25.70^b
Body weight gain (g)
0–10	221.0 ± 8.72^ab	226.4 ± 4.52^a	200.4 ± 10.51^b	211.8 ± 4.84^ab
0–28	1,553.3 ± 23.84^a	1,342.0 ± 17.10^b	1,274.4 ± 50.91^b	1,314.4 ± 28.94^b
0–42	3,130.3 ± 8.52^a	2,428.4 ± 83.43^c	2,592.0 ± 37.81^b	2,579.2 ± 23.01 ^bc
Feed intake (g)
0–10	265.8 ± 5.74^b	270.0 ± 3.27^b	265.7 ± 17.10^b	314.6 ± 15.80^a
0–28	2,330.1 ± 52.77^a	1987.3 ± 35.47 ^bc	1936.8 ± 61.41^c	2,118.3 ± 62.38^b
0–42	5,247.8 ± 43.60^a	4,275.0 ± 181.64^b	4,490.4 ± 108.15^b	5,150.4 ± 166.47^a
FCRc
0–10	1.007 ± 0.039^b	1.002 ± 0.01^b	1.096 ± 0.06 ^ab	1.235 ± 0.07^a
0–28	1.435 ± 0.027	1.414 ± 0.03	1.459 ± 0.03	1.548 ± 0.07
0–42	1.626 ± 0.013^b	1.692 ± 0.01^b	1.691 ± 0.03^b	1.844 ± 0.06^a
Total Mortality (%)	2.0^ab	2.4^ab	1.6^b	7.2^a

^{^a}

Data are expressed as the mean ± SE.

abc Indicates significant differences between the treatments within the rows (p < 0.05). Cyclic heat stress started at day 10. EO1: essential oil of Lippia origanoides, thymol chemotype (45 ppm) and herbal betaine (150 ppm). Administration dose: 350 g/Ton food. EO2: essential oil of Lippia origanoides, phellandrene chemotype (45 ppm) and herbal betaine (150 ppm). Administration dose: 350 g/Ton food.