Feasibility of Replacing Ethanolic Extract of Echinophora platyloba with Antibiotic Growth Promoter in Broilers

This study was performed to compare the effect of diets containing ethanolic extract of Echinophora platyloba at two levels of 0.3% and 0.5% and Phosphoflavomycin growth-promoting antibiotic (0.04%) on performance, immune response, and blood biochemical characteristics of broilers using 160 male day-old chicks in a completely randomized design manner using 4 experimental groups, 4 replications and 10 chicks in each experimental unit. The results indicate that in the fourth week of production, there was a significant increase in body weight of the treatment receiving Echinophora platyloba extract (0.3%) compared to other experimental groups (P≤0.05). On day 14th, in both groups fed with Echinophora platyloba extract (0.3 and 0.5%), a significant increase in feed conversion ratio was found when compared to the control and growth promoter antibiotic treatments (p≤0.05). The treatment fed with 0.3% Echinophora platyloba extract increased the percentage of carcass and spleen significantly (p≤0.05) when compared with other dietary treatments. No significant changes are found due to both levels of Echinophora platyloba extract on immune response and blood biochemical parameters of broilers. In contrast, the group fed with antibiotic significantly reduced the blood levels of LDL and ALP, when compared with control and 0.3% Echinophora platyloba groups (p≤0.05). In general, the application of Echinophora platyloba extract (0.3%) led to a significant improvement in performance and some carcass traits percentage of broilers and could be recommended as a suitable alternative to antibiotic growth promoters.