Improvement in the gut microstructure and nutrient digestibility by dietary inclusion of nanoencapsulated lavender essential oil in broiler chicken

This study investigated the effects of different dietary inclusion levels of Lavender essential oil (LEO) in free and nanoencapsulated form on intestinal gross and microstructure changes and subsequent nutrient digestibility in broiler chicken. At 1 week of age, 420 broiler chicks were randomly allocated into 7 treatment groups with 4 replicate pens, each containing 15 birds. The experiment lasted till the birds were 42 days of age. Dietary treatments included a corn-soybean based diet supplemented with 0 (T1), 20 mg/kg Enramycin as antibiotic growth promoter (T2), 300 mg/k g (nanoencapsulating material) chitosan (T3), 200 and 400 mg/kg free LEO (T4 and T5, respectively), 200 and 400 mg/kg nanoencapsulated LEO (T6 and T7, respectively). The results revealed that the dry matter metabolizability (DMM), digestible crude protein (DCP), ether extract (EE), crude fibre (CF), calcium (Ca), and phosphorous (P) digestibility improved in the groups fed LEO in the diet with more significance (p<0.05) in the groups wherein nanoencapsulated form of LEO was used. Similarly, the intestinal length and weight, ileal villus height (VH), and villus height to crypt depth (VH:CD) improved significantly (p<0.05) in all the LEO groups, particularly in nanoencapsulated groups (T6 and T7) compared to control. In conclusion, nanoencapsulation of LEO is a viable strategy for improving the intestinal gross and microstructure, and subsequent nutrient digestibility in broiler chicken.