ABSTRACT The current study was conducted to investigate the effects of Mexican oregano essential oil (MOO) extracts from Lippia berlandieri Schauer (LBS) and Poliomintha longiflora Gray (PLG) on performance, blood profiles, carcass variables, and meat composition of broilers at slaugther. A total of 360 one-day-old Ross broilers were randomly distributed into four dietary treatments with six replicate pens per treatment and 15 birds per pen. The dietary treatments were: a basal diet (control), control + 0.40 g of LBS/kg of feed, control + 0.40 g of PLG/kg, and control + 0.40 g of LBS/kg + 0.40 g of PLG/kg. Results showed that linear, quadratic, and cubic effects of days were significant in the performance variables of broilers. The treatments with LBS and PLG maintained the broiler body weight without increasing feed intake and water intake when compared with the control group. Broilers given LBS+PLG and PLG had increased blood leukocytes, lymphocytes, low-density lipoprotein, and hot carcass yields. In meat composition, treatments with PLG and LBS+PLG presented similar breast protein content compared with the control treatment. Supplementation with these two MOO exhibits positive effects on broiler performance, blood profiles, carcass traits, and meat composition. These two MOO may be promising feed supplements as growth promoters and enhancers of meat quality in broiler production.

ABSTRACT: The quality of slaughtered turkeys fed a diet supplemented with Mexican orégano (Lippia berlandieri Schauer) oil was investigated. Two treatments were studied. T0: control diet and TI: control diet + 400 mg kg-1 of orégano oil with 60 % carvacrol. Live weight at slaughter was different, with T0 weighing 11.0 kg and TI 11.89 kg, while the performance of feathers and drumstick was higher in T0 (4.33 and 3.18 % respectively). Viscera, blood, head, neck and hot and coid carcass yield did not differ between treatments (p > 0.05). Orégano oil at 400 mg kg-1 can be used in the production of turkeys to influence slaughter quality.

RESUMEN: La inclusión de aceite de orégano mexicano (Lippia berlandieri Schauer) en dietas de pavos fue inves tigada sobre la calidad en el sacrificio de los pavos. Se evaluaron los tratamientos T0: dieta testigo y TI: dieta testigo + 400 mg kg-1 de aceite de orégano con 60 % de carvacrol. El peso vivo al sacrificio de los pavos fue diferente, T0 presentó 11.0 kg y TI 11.89 kg, mientras que el rendimiento de plumas y patas fue mayor en T0 (4.33%) que TI (3.18 %). En tanto que en visceras, sangre, cabeza, cuello, rendimiento de canal caliente y fría no se detectaron diferencias entre tratamientos. El aceite de orégano en 400 mg kg-1 puede ser usado en la producción de pavos para influir sobre la calidad en el sacrificio.