ABSTRACT The objective of the study was to investigate the influence of anise seed (Pimpinella anisum L.) powder supplemented to the drinking water on selected blood parameters of broilers. In total, 360 one-day-old Hubbard Classic chicks were randomly divided into four groups with three replicates of 30 birds each. Anise seed powder was added at 0, 500, 750, and 1000mg/L to the drinking water offered to the C (control), T1, T2, and T3 groups respectively. The supplement was supplied for 56 days. When broilers were 28 and 56 days old, blood samples were collected (30 birds per group) by brachial vein puncture to evaluate the cellular components of blood (RBC, WBC, Hgb, HCT, H/L). The following serum biochemical parameters were evaluated: CHOL, GLU, TP, albumin, globulins, Ca, P, TG, total lipids, UA, and creatinine, as well as AST and ALT enzyme activities. The statistical analysis indicated that the anise supplement significantly improved blood RBC, WBC, Hgb, HCT, TP, albumin, globulin, GLU, P, and Ca levels of broilers in groups T4, T3, and T2 compared with the control group on days 28 and 56, and on average. Also, T3, T2 and T1 presented lower H/L ratio and CHOL, TG, total lipids, creatinine, UA, AST and ALT serum levels compared with the control group. The highest inclusion levels of anise seed powder, i.e., 1000 and 750mg/L, had a stimulating effect on the physiological traits of the birds.

ABSTRACT The aim of study was to determine the impact of a probiotic preparation containing live bacteria Bacillus cereus var. toyoi on the performance of turkeys in order to define the effective dose of the preparation and to evaluate its influence on poults' livability in the first month of life. Three hundred and sixty B.U.T. 9 male turkey were divided into three groups. The control group (I) was fed a diet with no probiotic additive, and groups II and III were given a probiotic product containing 0.2x109 and 1x109 B. toyoi CFU/kg of feed respectively. Body weight was recorded in weeks 1, 6, and 18. Livability, feed conversion ratio, and European Efficiency Factor (EEF) were estimated. In experiment II, the impact of a standardized probiotic dose on livability and performance parameters of B.U.T. 9 turkey poults were evaluated. Two groups were selected within each sex: control (C), feed without probiotic, and experimental (T), which feed contained the probiotic preparation. Mortality and body weight were registered. The better livability and performance of the turkeys fed probiotic justifies the use of bacteria Bacillus cereus var. toyoi to improve performance results and livability during the first weeks of the turkeys' life. The bacterium strain concentration of 1.0x109 CFU/kg of feed can be assumed as optimal.