Feeding of black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) and its effects on poultry production and health

Abstract

SUMMARY Black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) is a perennial and autogamous plant belonging to Umbelliferae family, which grows in Central Asia and Europe. It is a medicinal plant, with seeds and oil used in treating several diseases and is employed in the human food industry. Reduction of blood sugar and anticancer effects are the main therapeutic properties of black cumin oil. Hypoglycaemia and hypocholesterolemia are two modern lifestyle diseases, and feeding of black cumin may be useful to solve these conditions. The available literature reports that the addition of black cumin seeds improved performance (at supplementation levels of 3-5% in diet) and influenced positively (at supplementation levels of 2-3% in diet) the intestinal microflora of broilers. Black cumin oil, administered up to 3% in the diet, reduced the number of thrombocytes and neutrophils and increased lymphocytes in broilers. Black cumin seeds may increase the content of unsaturated fatty acids and enhance the antioxidant properties of poultry meat (when fed up to 2% in diet). In laying hens, feeding black cumin oil at 1-2% in feed increased egg mass and improved egg quality, especially in the early production phase, and reduced gut E. coli count. Dietary supplementation with black cumin (2% as seeds or 0.5% as oil) in quail diets improved performance (growth and egg production) and reduced significantly the harmful bacteria in the gut. In this review, the recent findings on the effects of dietary black cumin on poultry performance, immune response, plasma constitutes, gut microbiota and enzyme activity are reviewed and discussed.