Dietary encapsulated essential oil mixture influence on apparent nutrient digestibility, serum metabolic profile, lymphocyte histochemistry and intestinal morphology of laying hens.

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the effects of a mixture of encapsulated essential oils (EOs) addition on nutrient digestion, serum biochemical parameters, peripheral blood alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase (ANAE), and acid phosphatase (ACP-ase) positive lymphocyte ratios and intestinal morphology in laying hens.

Methods: A total of 320 laying hens of 48-wk-old were randomly allotted into 4 treatment groups with 10 replicates of 8 birds in each replicate. The birds were fed a basal diet (control) or the diet added with mixture of EOs (which consist of eugenol, nerolidol, piperine, thymol, linalool, and geraniol) at 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg for period of 84 days.