Effects of Aqueous Extract of Artemisia Annua on Immune System, Hematological Characteristics, Intestinal Micro-flora, Growth Performances and Carcass Yield of Broilers

Antibiotic residues are constantly being deposited in human organisms from the consumption of food of animal origin, leading to resistance and the health risks related to their use as growth promoters in animal feed and this has led to the ban of their use in animal feed by authorities. This restriction of their use has led to a resurgence of morbidity and mortality, a drop in growth performance, and consequently a decline in the economic profitability of farms making researchers to seek substitutes that play the same role without the same side effects. Plant-based products have been shown to possess properties that can play this role but their effects vary with form, dose, mode of administration and other factors. The present study was therefore designed to assess the effects of increasing levels of A. annua aqueous extract on growth performance, carcass and immune system organ characteristics, hematological parameters and intestinal microflora of broiler chickens. 288-day-old chicks were allocated to a completely randomized system comprising a base ration with no additives (T0-), a ration containing 0.1% antibiotic (T0+) and four rations with inclusions of 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1 g aqueous extract of A. annua/Kg of feed with 3 replications each containing 16 chicks and treated till 49 days of age before sacrificing for data collection. The main results showed that the greatest live weight was obtained in T0.75-treatment birds with the least value in T0- at 49 days old with highest weight gain in T1. Feed conversion ratio was maximum in T0.25 and least in T1. T0.75 recorded significantly lower values for Escherichia coli while lactobacillus recorded values significantly (p