Effect of Dietary Anise Seeds Supplementation on Growth Performance, Immune Response, Carcass Traits and Some Blood Parameters of Broiler Chickens

Abstract
The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of dietary anise seeds supplementation on growth performance, immune response, some blood parameters and carcass traits of broiler chickens. Two hundred and seventeen Arbor Acre one day old broiler chicks were randomly allotted into 7 groups (31 per each) of mixed sex. Anise seed was supplemented to the basal diet at 0.0 (control), 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.25 and 1.5 g/kg diet (groups 2-7), respectively and the trail was lasted for 6 weeks. The analysis of variance of the data indicated that anise supplementation at 0.5 and 0.75 g/kg of diet (groups 3 and 4) significantly (p < 0.05) improved body weight gain, performance index and relative growth rate of broiler chicken, while had no significant effect on feed intake and feed conversion ratio when compared with the control. Moreover the highest inclusion level of anise (1.5 g/kg diet) of broiler chicken diet (group 7) reduced growth performance. On the other hand anise supplementation at 0.5 g/kg (group 3) of broiler diet improve blood picture (RBCs counts, WBCs count, HB and PCV%) clearly than other anise supplementation levels and significantly (p < 0.05) increased lymphocytes when compared with the control, while anise supplementation in broiler chickens diets increased serum albumin, decreased globulin concentration, increased albumin/globulin ratio, non significantly reduced serum GOT and the lower levels of anise (groups 2 and 3) reduc ed serum concentration of GPT, glucose, cholesterol while had no effect of seru m phospholipids and uric acids concentrations when compared with the control. Anise supplementation had non significant effect on HI antibody titer to Newcastle disease vaccine, dressing percent and the anise level at 0.5 g/kg (group 3) non significantly increased thymus gland weight relative to the body weight and had no effect on both bursa and spleen index while the higher level (group, 7) had negative effect on spleen, bursa and thymus gland weight percent, that indicate anise at 0.5 g/kg supplementation had stimulatory immune effect, my provide hepatoprotective effect and improve the economical efficiency of production while, the higher level may be had negative effect.