The principal goal of this research was to examine how the addition of sodium butyrate
(SB) and Origanium vulgare (OV) to basal diet affects various aspects of broiler chicken
production, including growth rate, biochemical markers, immune system function, and
carcass traits. Five hundred one-day-old chicks of Cobb breed (males and females) were
distributed at random way into five dietary treatment groups on floor pens, each group
have 4 replicates (25 birds/replicate) and reared at a private farm. Group (G1) received
basal diet without any addition (negative control). Birds of groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 received
basal diet enriched with 500 g/ton sodium butyrate (SB), 500 g/ton Origanium vulgare
(OV), 250 g/ton SB+OV and 500 g/ton SB+OV, respectively. At day 35 of rearing, the growth
performance, biochemical profile, immunity parameters and carcass traits were evaluated.
Our study demonstrated that supplementing basal diet with SB and OV, alone and in
combination, resulted in improvements in body weight gain and feed conversion ratio and
decreased levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST),
total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and malondialdehyde (MDA) but increased total
protein (TP), albumin, globulin, albumin/globulin ratio, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and
catalase (CAT). It also increased levels of IgG and IgM and enhanced immunity as it
elevated phagocytic activity, phagocytic index, lysozyme activity, and hemagglutination
inhibition (HI) antibody titer against NDV. It improved carcass traits of broilers as it
increased live weight and carcass weight and dressing percent (72.5%). It could be
concluded that supplementation of basal diet with SB and OV, alone and in combination,
improved growth performance, biochemical parameters, immune status, and carcass traits
of broilers. Therefore, the utilization of sodium butyrate and Origanium vulgare as feed
additives can be used as an effective and beneficial approach in broiler chicken production.
Both have hepatoprotective, antioxidant, and immunostimulant effects. The mechanisms of
action underlying these effects require further study in broiler chickens.