Phytochemical Mixtures Change Productivity and Body Condition in Broiler Chickens
摘要
The research was carried out to evaluate the effect of phytochemicals with different properties on broiler chickens and to assess their synergistic effect in two- or three-component compositions. The objects of the research were broiler chickens, cinnamaldehyde (CA), quercetin (QU), and 7-hydroxycoumarin (COUM). The research scheme involved four variants: the control group of poultry fed the basic ration (BR) and experimental groups one, two, and three that received BR supplemented with CA (30 mg/kg feed) + QU (2.5 mg/kg feed), CA (30 mg/kg feed) + COUM (0.3 mg/kg), and CA (30 mg/kg feed) + QU (2.5 mg/kg feed) + COUM (0.3 mg/kg), respectively. On day 42 of the research study, the liveweight and the average daily liveweight gain in poultry of experimental group three increased by 30.83% (p ≤ 0.05) and 35.78%, respectively, over the entire growing period. Regardless of feed composition ingredients, feed consumption per 1 kg of liveweight gain in poultry of the experimental groups was lower than that in the control variant by 5.15–15.92%, while survivability index and the European broiler index, on the contrary, increased (by 2.0% and 29.6–107.9 (p ≤ 0.05), respectively). The dietary composition containing CA + QU + COUM contributed to increasing the gutted carcass weight and the muscle tissue weight by 23.94% (p ≤ 0.05) and 24.19% (p ≤ 0.05), respectively. The white blood cell counts in the poultry of groups two and three, compared to the control variant, increased by 19.6% (p ≤ 0.05) and 17.97%, respectively; the catalase activity levels elevated by 64.05% (p ≤ 0.05) and 57.48% (p ≤ 0.05), respectively. The serum crude protein content in the broiler chickens from experimental group three increased by 24.74% (p ≤ 0.05). In addition, significant (p ≤ 0.05) increases in the concentrations of albumin, AST, iron, and phosphorus with a decrease in the total bilirubin were observed. Therefore, the CA + QU + COUM composition used in the broiler chicken rations at the analyzed dozes is considered most appropriate for production process.