The features of the exterior of broilers of ‘Cobb-500’ cross

The study of biological effect of mountain savory essential oil on the exterior of cross-Cobb-500 broiler chickens is the main purpose of the research. The scheme of the research included control group (group I) - the main diet (MD); the first experimental group (group II) - MD + mountain savory essential oil (Satureja montana) (with the content of mountain savory essential oil in the solution of at least 50 mg/l of diluted oil was added at the rate of 150 ml of solution per 1 t of water); the second experimental group (group III) - MD + mountain savory essential oil (0.2 ml for 30 heads with the spray followed by thorough stirring of compound feed); the third experimental group (group IV) - MD + mountain savory essential oil (0.15 ml for 30 heads with the spray followed by thorough stirring of compound feed). It was found that the factor of inclusion of mountain savory essential oil had positively affected the exterior of broiler chickens. The interpretation of the data obtained during the evaluation of the study showed that broiler chickens of group IV showed the best results in almost all the indicators: by live weight - higher than the results obtained in control group chickens by 44.8 %, by breast volume - by 39.6 %, by pelvic width - by 36.8 %, by straight trunk length - by 20.3 %, by keel length by 25.6 %, by shin length - by 14 %, by metatarsal length - by 15.5 %. Pronounced development of the body caused the broilers of group IV to have the most proportional and harmonious physique. Most physique indices (eirisomia index, which in group IV broiler chickens exceeded this indicator, obtained in control group birds - by 34.2 %, shortened lower torso - by 38 %, broadness - by 80.7 %, massiveness index by 81.5 %) were higher than those in control group broiler chickens, with the exception for long-legged index, which was lower than in control group birds by 21.7 %, which further indicated the formation of more pronounced meat forms of broiler chickens of experimental groups.