Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of herbal feed additive on growth performance, carcass characteristics, the chemical composition of breast muscles and selected meat quality parameters in broiler chickens. The experiment was performed on 1080 Ross 308 chickens, which were randomly divided into six groups with six replicates per group. In experimental groups, dietary energy concentration was reduced by 0.10 or 0.25 MJ kg, and the diets were or were not supplemented with the Superliv herbal formula at 500 g t of diet. A statistical analysis revealed that Superliv had a beneficial influence on the final body weights (BWs) of birds, average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), European Efficiency Index (EEI) and the proportion of heart relative to total carcass weight. However, meat acidity measured 15 min post mortem was higher in experimental groups. A decrease in dietary energy concentration contributed to a highly significant increase in the water-holding capacity (WHC) of meat and natural drip loss, an increase in pH, an increase in color lightness, a decrease in redness, an increase in the fat content of meat, and a decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration.
Highlights
Stimulation of the immune system and antioxidant defense in poultry has been a topical issue since the introduction of the ban on the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in animal feed
The Superliv herbal formula had a positive effect on most performance parameters in broiler chickens
The product’s beneficial influence on mortality rates was not statistically significant, whereas mortality tended to increase with decreasing dietary energy concentration
Summary
Stimulation of the immune system and antioxidant defense in poultry has been a topical issue since the introduction of the ban on the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in animal feed. Herbs and spices contain numerous active ingredients which can exert various effects (bactericidal, immunomodulatory and antioxidant) on animals. The intensity and direction of the effects exerted by herbal preparations are difficult to predict They are mostly determined by the concentrations of active ingredients but may be influenced by the presence of auxiliary substances and interactions with other active ingredients or feed components (Hashemi and Davoodi, 2011; Ogbuewu et al, 2018). Due to the presence of multiple active ingredients, Superliv may exert multidirectional effects on animals, including the stimulation of their growth, performance and digestion. It may act as a hepatoprotective agent that neutralizes toxins. It can allow us to achieve high growth performance with lower energy concentrations in the diets
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