Evaluation of blood chemical, lipids profile and immune response on broiler chicks fed with milk thistle (Silybum mari- anum L.) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) seeds in south-eastern Iran

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of supplementation of milk thistle seeds (MTS) and thyme seeds (TS) on blood chemical, lipid profile and immune response in broiler chicks. In this study, 160 one-day-old chicks (Ross 308) were allocated to four treatments with four replicates based on a completely randomized design in a 2×2 factorial arrangement. The treatment groups were (A) basal control diet, (B) basal diet with 0.2 g/kg of MTS, (C) basal diet with 0.2 g/kg of TS and (D) basal diet with 0.2 g/kg of MTS and 0.2 g/kg of TS. Birds fed the (D) supplemented treatment (MTS plus TS) had the greatest levels of total protein, 4.26±0.27 g/L; albumin, 2.21±0.02 g/L; globulin 2.28±0.23 g/L; and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity, 152.18±4.46 U/L than the control birds [group (A)] (P<0.05). MTS alone or in combination with TS reduced the cholesterol in the serum of the broilers (P<0.05), and this effect was more pronounced for the (C) treatment (TS alone) (P<0.05). Treatment consumption with MTS plus TS [group (D)] significantly increased the concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), 90.32±2.28 mmol/L, but low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), 10.44±0.07 mmol/L, and triglyceride concentrations, 60.75±2.65 mmol/L, were decreased compared to control (P<0.05). However, none of the immunity parameters and liver enzymes differed significantly in MTS or TS groups. The present research indicated that supplements of MTS and TS have a protective influence on the lipids profile, total protein, globulin, albumin and AST levels in broiler chicks.