Impact of in ovo feeding of nano-encapsulated garlic essential oil on broiler hatch percentage, performance, intestinal development, and blood parameters

The purpose of this research was to determine the impact of in-ovo injection of garlic essential oil (GEO) on post-hatch broiler chicken performance, intestinal development, hatch percentage, and blood parameters. 360 Ross 308 eggs weighing 62 ± 2 g were selected and 15 eggs per replicate were used in a completely randomized design. The experimental treatments were as follows: (1) control or non-injected, (2) in-ovo injection of physiological saline or positive control, (3) in-ovo injection of 0.1 free GEO, (4) 0.2 free GEO, (5) 0.1 nanoencapsulated GEO, (6) 0.2 nanoencapsulated GEO into the yolk sac at day 7 of incubation period. In contrast to the control treatment (injection-free), the results demonstrated that in-ovo injection of free GEO lowered hatch percentage (P < 0.05). The post-hatch broiler chicken performance was unaffected by different treatments. The breast glycogen concentration and the villus height and villus height to crypt depth ratios were higher in the 0.1 ml of nanoencapsulated GEO group (P < 0.05). The in-ovo injection of nanoencapsulated GEO decreased E. coli counts compared to control group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, chitosan nanoencapsulation has the potential to protect bioactive substances and enhance the benefits of GEO in newly hatched chickens.