The Effect of Adding Aqueous Mint and Lemon to Heat-Stress Broiler’s Drinking Water

Abstract

We aimed to investigate whether adding mint and lemon ingredients would improve broiler performance under heat-stress conditions. A total of 120 - one-day-old, unsexed Hybrid chicks were randomly assigned into four treatment groups, thirty birds each. Each group contained three replicates of ten birds. The experimental groups were assigned according to their watering treatments that, included tape water as the control group, tape water mixed with an aqueous solution (0.3%) of mint (Mentha longifolia), tape water with an aqueous solution (0.3%) of lemon (Citrus limon L), and tape water with an aqueous mixture (0.3% each) of mint and lemon, respectively. Feed intake and body weight were measured every week. At 42 days of age, two birds per replicate were slaughtered, the carcass was weighed, and its internal organs (chest, thigh, back, wings, neck, liver and abdominal fat) and dressing percentage were calculated. Live observations of drinking and feeding activities were recorded three times a day.  Our results showed that the combination of mint and lemon significantly (P = .05) enhanced the growth performance of chickens (body weight and feed intake), compared to the control, lemons or mint groups, respectively. Carcass and internal organ (Chest, thigh) weights were heavier when lemon was introduced or mixed with a mint than the control and mint groups. Using mint and lemon solely or combined lower abdominal fat weight compared to the control group (P = .05). No significant differences in back, wing, neck, and liver weight were found in treated and untreated groups. Behavioural observation demonstrated that the mint and lemon combination group showed higher drinking and feeding activities than the control, mint and lemon groups. The study concluded that mint and lemon could effectively reduce the impact of high environmental temperatures on chickens. Incorporating mint and lemon into poultry water can improve body weight and reduce carcass fatness.