This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of adding some
medicinat plants as natural growth promoters such as: sweet basil. oregano.
peppermint. thyme and their mixture. at 1.0% to turkey diets on performance and
some metabolic functions. A to\al of ninely healthy Broad Breasted Bronze (S88)
turkey males aged 12 weeks were randomly assigned into six iso-caiorlc, iso -
nitrogenous diets. Each diet was fed to three replicates. each containing five birds,
during 12·24 week of age. Each treatment of the tested diets contained one source of
Ihe tested medicinal plants, while the control diet had no additives. Results showed that the inclusion of these medicial plants in turkey diets
improved the live body weight . body weight gain. feed consumption and feed
conversion compared with control group. The birds fed dietary sweet basil recorded
the highest ( p < 0.05 ) values of growth performance traits. While. the control group
recorded the worst feed converion value. Also. the addition of medicinal additives
improved the most digestibility coefficients and the highest values of organic matter.
crude protein. crude fiber and nitrogen free exlract digestibility were recorded by the
group of birds fed diet contained sweet basil. The results of salughter traits showed no significant deferences among
treatments for derssinq, giblets. gizzard and liver. while significant deferences were
observed for heart. lotal edible parts. feather and total inedible parts ( as percentage
of live body weight). The turkey group fed diet contained 1.0% sweet basil recorded
the lowest value of heart % as compared to the control group. However. the lowest
value of total edible parts % was recorded by oregano fed group. 8100d plasma
parameters showed an improvement in total protein, albumin and globulin and a
decrease in total lipids. cholesterol and liver function enzymes in all treatment groups. It could be concluded that. using dietary sweet basil. oregano. peppermint.
thyme and their mixture, at dietary 1.0% as natural. growth promoters improved
growth performance. nutrients digestibility. blood parameters and economic effiCiency
of growing turk.ey during the period from 12 \0 24 weeks of age.