EFFECT OF DIETARY INCLUSION OF TURMERIC AND CINNAMON POWDERS ON SOME IMMUNE SYSTEM PARAMETERS IN BROILER CHICKENS

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary inclusion of turmeric and cinnamon powders on some immune system parameters of broiler chickens. In a completely randomized design with 6 treatments of 4 replicates each, 240 day old male broiler chicks (ROSS 308) were used. Dietary treatments were as follow: 1) basal diet (control); 2) basal diet + 10 ppm avilamycin (positive control); 3) basal diet + 0.25 % turmeric powder; 4) basal diet + 0.75 % turmeric powder; 5) basal diet + 0.25% cinnamon powder; 6) basal diet +0.75 % cinnamon powder. Diets were fed from 1 to 21 d of age. At d 21, two chicks from each replicate were randomly selected and blood samples were collected from wing vein for differential leukocyte count, hematocrit (PCV), and antibody titer against IBV, IBD, and ND vaccines. No difference was seen among treatment groups regarding monocyte and hematocrit percentages (p>0.05). However, inclusion of turmeric powder at the levels of 0.25 and 0.75 % of the diet and cinnamon powder at the level of 0.75 % of the diet caused a significant increase in lymphocyte percentage compared to control group (p<0.05). Furthermore, turmeric at the level of 0.25 % of the diet significantly decreased heterophile percentage compared to control group (p<0.05). Also, heterophile to lymphocyte ratio decreased significantly (p<0.05) in groups consuming diets containing 0.25 and 0.75 % turmeric and 0.75 cinnamon powders comparing to control group. There was no significant difference among treatment groups for antibody titers against IBD and ND vaccines (p>0.05). However, 10 ppm avilamycin in the diet caused a significant decrease in antibody titer against IBV vaccine comparing to control group (p<0.05). Heterophile to lymphocyte ratio has been introduced as a reliable index for evaluation of stress in poultry [1]. Different stressors such as scare, hungry, thirst, and overcrowd, can increase the heterophile to lymphocyte ratio in poultry [2]. The reducing effects of both levels of turmeric, and cinnamon at the level of 0.75 % of the diet, on heterophile to lymphocyte ratio, indicates that turmeric and cinnamon powders may be used as stress modulators in poultry nutrition.