Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) is an everygreen herb from the mint family. It has been used for culinary, medicinal, ornamental and folk medicine uses in a variety of different cultures. Thyme is used in fresh and dried form, a whole sprig (a single stem snipped from the plant), and as an essential oil extracted from the plant parts. Volatile oils of thyme are among the main essential oils used in the food industry and in cosmetics as preservatives and antioxidants. Specific applications studied in poultry include:
- Antioxidant: Thyme oil shows potential for improvement of intestinal barrier integrity, antioxidant status as well as evoking an immune response in chickens.
- Antibacterial: Thyme oil (1 g/kg) proved to be effective in reducing Coliform counts when it was used to create a spray for the purpose of hygiene improvement.
Summary of Poultry-associated Research Conducted on Thyme
| Form | Species | Amount | Time period | Results | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essential oil | Laying Hens | 42 days | diet Supplementation by combined form of PEO and TEO could have beneficial effects on performance parameters of Laying hens reared under cold stress condition. | Mohsen et al., 2016 | |
| Spice | Broilers | 1 g/kg | 42 days | +1 feed intake, +2 BW, -1 FCR | Sarica et al., 2005 |
| Extract | Broilers | 50 to 200 mg/kg | 42 days | Improved growth performance, digestive enzyme activities, and antioxidant enzyme activities | Hashemipour et al., 2013 |
| Extract | Broilers | 0.1 g/kg | 42 days | +1 feed intake, +1 ADG, -1 FCR | Lee et al., 2003 |
| Extract | Broilers | 0.2 g/kg | 42 days | -5 FI, -3 ADG, -3 FCR | Lee et al., 2003 |
| Powder | Broilers | 10 to 20 g/kg | 42 days | had positive effects on the blood biochemistry parameters of broiler chickens | M Qasem et al., 2016 |
Post time: Jan-12-2021
