Abstract
The aim of our study was to determine the effects of supplementation of agrimony extract (Agrimonia eupatoria L.) and a combination of agrimony with sage extract (Salvia officinalis L.) to water during the fattening period of broiler chickens on selected biochemical and antioxidant indicators in blood, and on the nutritional composition and oxidative stability of meat. A total of 117 Cobb 500 chicks were randomly divided on the day of hatching into three groups (n = 39 in each) and fattened for 42 days. All groups were fed the same diets. In experimental group A water was supplemented with agrimony extract (0.2%). In experimental group AS water was supplemented with a combination of agrimony (0.1%) and sage (0.1%) extracts. Group C was control without supplementation. The total cholesterol, low density lipoproteins and malondialdehyde in serum were decreased (P < 0.05), dry matter and fat content in meat were increased (P < 0.05) in group A. The activity of superoxide dismutase in blood and the amount of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in thigh meat on days 1 and 8 of storage under chilling conditions were lower (P < 0.05) in both experimental groups compared to control. Our results indicate that supplementation of agrimony and sage extract to water can beneficially influence the antioxidant status as well as oxidative stability of thigh meat and thus improve meat quality. This is a first similar study comparing addition of plant extracts to water in broiler nutrition.
Highlights
Current legislation of the European Union brings new insights into animal fattening programmes as a result of increased attention for the quality of food of animal origin
No additives were added to the water in the control group (C) but the broiler chickens in the 1st and 2nd experimental groups received the water supplemented with 0.2% agrimony extract and the combination of 0.1%, agrimony extract and 0.1% sage extracts (A and AS, respectively)
C – control group; A – experimental group supplemented with 0.2% agrimony extract to water; AS – experimental group supplemented with a combination of 0.1% agrimony extract and 0.1% sage extract to water; SH groups – sulphydryl groups; GPx – gluthatione peroxidase; Hb – haemoglobin; SOD – superoxide dismutase; MDA – malondialdehyde; Results are presented as mean ± SD; a,b – values in a row sharing different letters are statistically different (P < 0.05)
Summary
Current legislation of the European Union brings new insights into animal fattening programmes as a result of increased attention for the quality of food of animal origin. Promising results have been obtained by research in this field so far, when supplementation of some herbal substances had a positive impact on the growth performance of broiler chickens, and on their antioxidant status as well as on the oxidative stability of meat. For these reasons, use of natural “herbal” antioxidants in the fattening of broilers is considered to be a suitable method to achieve better antioxidant status of poultry, and higher oxidation stability of poultry meat during storage (Luna et al 2010; Jayasena and Jo 2014). Effects of the addition of 0.2% agrimony extract and a combination of 0.1% agrimony extract with 0.1% sage extract to water on selected biochemical and antioxidant indicators, and on the chemical composition and oxidative stability of broiler meat during storage (4 °C, 8 days) were investigated
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