Effects of oregano and garlic essential oils on performance of calves and some parameters of faeces and blood

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The calves were evaluated for the effects of oregano (Oregano Onites L.) and garlic essential oils (Allium sativa Lillaceae) supplementation in whole milk (250 mg/calf/day) during the first 6 weeks on growth performance, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio, fecal score, incidence of scours, the count of Escherichia coli. and Lactobacillus spp. in gaita, body mesurments as well as on some blood parameters. At the end of the experiment, there were no effects of oregano and garlic essential oils supplementation in whole milk on daily gain, whole milk, calf starter and total feed consumption, feed conversion ratio, body mesurments, gaita bacteria counts, blood parameters (P≥0.05). At the same time, essential oils showed no significant effects on counts of faecal coliform, Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus spp., faecal fluidity score, days with scours, and number of treatment days for scours (P 0.05). Also there were no significant differences among groups in total protein, albumin, globulin, urea and bilirubin in blood serum, hemoglobin, erythrocyte, leukocyte, basophile, lymphocyte and monocyte in blood (P 0.05). Although oregano essential oil supplementation reduced significantly gaita total colifom count (P≤0.05). Adding garlic essential oil to whole milk decreased blood serum total cholesterol level (P≤0.05). Although biologicaly, oregano essential oil suplementation had better calf performance, feed consumption and feed conversion efficiency than other groups, these results were not significant statisticaly.

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Calves , oregano essential oil , garlic essential oil , performance , blood parameters

The Journal Of Ege University Faculty Of Agriculture

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The Journal Of Ege University Faculty Of Agriculture