Effects of natural antioxidant extract supplementation on the growth performance and meat quality of broiler chickens
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Date
2020
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE (BELGRADE)
Abstract
<jats:p>The study examined the effect of dietary antioxidant supplementation on the
performance and meat quality of broiler chickens. Namely, 300 one-day-old
Arbor Acres broiler chicks were fed a starter diet from 1 to 4 weeks and a
finisher diet for the last 4 weeks. Birds were randomly assigned to
treatments based on antioxidant supplementation in drinking water at 0.02%
butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), ordinary water (OW), 0.02% sweet orange peel
extract (SOPE), 0.02% shaddock peel extract (SHPE) and 0.02% lemon peel
extract (LMPE) per litre of water in a completely randomized design
experiment. Feed intake and body weight gain were recorded on a weekly
basis. Three birds were selected in each treatment and slaughtered for meat
quality determination. BHA and LMPE treatments had the best weight gain and
feed conversion efficiency at the significance level (p<0.05). There were
significant differences (p<0.05) in the shear force (force peak and yield)
in the dietary antioxidants fed to the birds. Sensory parameters (taste,
aroma and overall acceptability) show significant differences (p<0.05)
amongst the treatments. However, there were no significant differences
(p>0.05) in appearance and texture perception amongst treatments. Finally,
significant differences (p<0.05) in the lightness (L*) and redness (a*) of
the meat samples were observed amongst the treatments. There were no
significant differences (p>0.05) in the yellowness (b*) amongst the
treatments. It can be concluded that broiler birds fed SOPE, SHPE and LMPE
treatments performed better and that these treatments enhanced the meat
quality of the birds when compared to BHA and OW treatments.</jats:p>