Impact of Anise, Clove, and Thyme essential oils as feed supplements on the productive performance and digestion of Barki ewes

To improve nutritional efficiency in ruminants, dietary additives have a favorable effect. The use of antibiotics as feed additives in animal feeds was prohibited by the European Union after January 2006 For this reason, alternative additives such as those of plant origin are desired. Essential oils (EO) are generally recognized as safe for human and animal consumption. They could be used as alternatives for antibiotics and growth promoters in ruminant's nutrition They are volatile aromatic compounds present in many plants. Chemically, they are a blend of secondary metabolites commonly composed of terpenoids and phenyl propanoids These compounds have been shown to favorably affect ruminal fermentation and improve nutrients utilization in ruminants