Table 4.
Effects of essential oils supplementation on hematological parameters, phagocytic assay, and organ indices in broiler chickens at the 28th D ±SE.1
| Items | Groups2 |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| NC | VC | VTC | |
| Hematology and phagocytic assay | |||
| Phagocytic activity (PA) | 48.00 ± 0.58a | 32.67 ± 0.33c | 37.50 ± 0.50b |
| Phagocytic index (PI) | 28.00 ± 0.58a | 10.00 ± 0.58c | 13.50 ± 0.50b |
| H:L ratio | 1.06 ± 0.02b | 1.45 ± 0.01a | 1.10 ± 0.03b |
| WBCs ( × 106/mm3) | 2.24 ± 0.01b | 2.54 ± 0.04a | 2.23 ± 0.11b |
| RBCs ( × 106/mm3) | 4.26 ± 0.02 | 4.61 ± 0.06 | 4.96 ± 0.07 |
| PCV (%) | 44.70 ± 0.05 | 41.06 ± 0.30 | 43.01 ± 0.22 |
| Hb (g/dl) | 14.55 ± 0.02 | 14.08 ± 0.04 | 14.96 ± 0.22 |
| Organ index | |||
| Bursa of Fabricius | 0.54 ± 0.08b | 0.74 ± 0.09a,b | 1.08 ± 0.32a |
| Thymus | 3.67 ± 0.58 | 4.48 ± 0.28 | 3.51 ± 0.37 |
| Spleen | 0.70 ± 0.01 | 0.90 ± 0.10 | 0.95 ± 0.19 |
| Liver | 27.14 ± 2.49 | 23.81 ± 0.75 | 24.57 ± 1.41 |
Abbreviations: Hb, hemoglobin; H:L, heterophils-to-lymphocytes ratio; NC, negative control; PCV, packed cell volume; RBC, red blood cell; SE, standard error; VC, vaccinated and nontreated with EOs; VTC, vaccinated and treated with EOsWBC, white blood cell.
1
Data are the average of 6 birds per group (two birds/replicate). Different superscript letters in the same row indicate significant differences (P < 0.05). 2Experimental groups.
2
Experimental groups.