Effect of fresh dietary garlic on intestinal Escherichia coli and some blood serum biochemical factors of broiler chickens

Garlic has therapeutic and also antibacterial properties and its inclusion in broiler diets improves their feed efficiency and lowers their mortality rates.The present research intended to evaluate the effects of freshly dietary garlic cloves on the intestinal Escherichia coli population and some blood serum biochemical factors in broilers. In this study, one hundred and five day-old broiler chicks were used in Zabol. On the seventh day of age, sick birds removed and 96 chicks with better body condition were selected and randomly divided into 3 equal groups with 2 replicates. Groups 1, 2 and 3 (the control and treatment groups) received 0, 1 and 2 percent of fresh crushed garlic cloves in their diets, respectively. When the broilers were 35 days old, 8 chicks from each replicate were selected randomly, weighed and blood samples were taken from the wing veins. They were then slaughtered and their bursa of Fabricius was removed and weighed. Their ileum contents were used to determine the E. coli population. Results indicated that bursa of Fabricius weight increased in broilers receiving fresh crushed garlic cloves in their diets compared to the control group (P<0.05). There was not significant differences on E. coli population, cholesterol, triglyceride and total protein between the groups (P>0.05).