Abstract
Phytogenic herbal extracts received considerable attention in the broilers industry as friendly alternative substitutes to antibiotics. These additives can be included in the food or drinking water to enhance birds' growth rate and well-being. Hence, the current investigation examined the effect of including
Aloe vera
gel in drinking water on the growth rate, biochemical blood indices, and broilers' antioxidative capacity. Cobb 500 broiler chicks (
n
= 120), 1 day old of initial weight = 48.6 ± 1.65 g, were divided into three treatments where the control group was fed the basal diet without including
Aloe vera
gel in drinking water. The second and third groups were fed the basal diet, and
Aloe vera
gel was included in drinking water at 1 and 1.5%, respectively. The final body weight, weight gain, daily weight gain, and feed conversion ratio were significantly improved in birds that received drinking water with
Aloe vera
gel at 1.5% compared to the control and 1% groups (
P
≤ 0.05). The kidney (creatinine and urea) and liver (ALT and AST) function indices of broilers that received drinking water with or without
Aloe vera
gel showed no significant differences with the control group (
P
≥ 0.05). The blood total protein and albumin had higher values in birds that received drinking water with 1.5%
Aloe vera
gel than the control (
P
≤ 0.05). The total blood cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL levels were significantly decreased in the group of birds that received 1.5%
Aloe vera
gel in drinking water (
P
≤ 0.05). The HDL level was higher in birds that received drinking water with 1.5%
Aloe vera
gel than the control (
P
≤ 0.05). The total antioxidative capacity (TAC) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) showed higher activity in the group of birds that received 1.5%
Aloe vera
gel while the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) was lower in birds that received drinking water with 1.5%
Aloe vera
gel than the control (
P
≤ 0.05). In summary, including
Aloe vera
gel in drinking water enhanced the growth rate, biochemical blood indices, and broilers' antioxidative capacity.