Effect of thyme, garlic and caraway herbal extracts on blood parameters, productivity, egg quality, hatchability and intestinal bacterial population of laying Japanese quail

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In the current Iranian poultry industry, antibiotics are the most frequently used additive in poultry feeds to increase productivity. The negative effects on human health, resulting from the consumption of chicken whose feeds contain antibiotics, makes finding an appropriate alternative of great importance. As a result of their nature, herbal extracts could be specifically considered for this purpose.