Inclusion of Camelina, Flax, and Sunflower Seeds in the Diets for Broiler Chickens: Apparent Digestibility of Nutrients, Growth Performance, Health Status, and Carcass and Meat Quality Traits.

Malwina Zając,Renata Klebaniuk,Bożena Kiczorowska,Wioletta Samolińska

doi:10.3390/ani10020321

Malwina Zając, Renata Klebaniuk + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10020321

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Abstract

Simple SummaryThe presented results were obtained in a scientific trial, in which the addition of camelina, flax, and sunflower seeds to Ross 308 broiler diets was tested in terms of improvement of production efficiency, health status parameters, and quality of poultry meat. The results of the research showed that the tested full-fat seeds can be considered good dietary ingredients with a positive effect on the poultry production process and, consequently, on the dietary value of poultry meat.The study determined the effect of the addition of 15% of camelina, flax, and sunflower seeds to iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous diets for broiler chickens during 21–42 days of age on the nutrient digestibility, production traits, slaughter analysis parameters, hematological indices, blood mineral elements, and dietary value of breast and drumstick meat. Two hundred one-day-old broiler chickens were assigned to four groups (treatments) with five replicates (10 birds per cage, 5 females and 5 males). The experiment lasted 6 weeks. Broiler chickens receiving diets supplemented with camelina and flax seeds exhibited an increase (p < 0.05) in average body weight and a decrease (p < 0.05) in the ether extract content and energy digestibility of the diets. Moreover, the best carcass quality with a high proportion of muscles and low abdominal fat content (p < 0.05) was noted in broilers fed flax- and sunflower-enriched diets. The treatments with the oil seeds reduced the ether extract content and the calorific value of breast and drumstick muscles. The flax seeds contributed to an increase in the Fe content in drumstick muscles. Additionally, some blood parameters were influenced by the flax seed supplementation, e.g., the level of hemoglobin declined (p < 0.05) and the iron level in plasma increased (p < 0.05). It can be concluded that the camelina, flax, and sunflower seeds can be regarded as good dietary components with positive effects on the dietary value of poultry meat.

Highlights

The primary aim of animal production is to provide high nutritional and dietary value of meat, which mainly depends on its chemical composition
Vaccination and vet care treatment were provided according to the guidelines for broiler chickens specified by Aviagen [21]
The basic productivity parameters of the broiler chickens, i.e., body weight (BW), average daily feed intake (ADFI), body weight gains (BWG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR), observed in the first rearing period did not differ between the groups (Table 3)

Summary

Introduction

The primary aim of animal production is to provide high nutritional and dietary value of meat, which mainly depends on its chemical composition. Animals 2020, 10, 321 yielding a product with desired nutritional and dietary properties [4,5,6]. In this respect, the seeds of local oil-bearing plants, such as flax, camelina, or sunflower, seem to be extremely valuable [7,8,9]. The major focus in the literature on the supplementation of birds’ diets with flax, camelina, or sunflower seeds is placed on reduction of the ratio of n-6/n-3 fatty acids in poultry products [6,10,11,12]

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