INFLUENCE OF NARINGENIN ON PERFORMANCE, MEAT QUALITY AND ANTIOXIDANT STATUS OF BROILERS

Abstract

The growth promoting antioxidant and meat quality related effects of naringenin in broilers were evaluated in the current study. One hundred and eighty day-older broiler chicks (Hubbard) were randomly selected to four treatment groups containing three replicates of 15 birds each. Feed supplemented with 0, 5, 10 and 20 mg/Kg naringenin was allotted to the experimental treatment groups (T1, T2, T3 and T4) respectively. An increased weight gain and better feed conversion ratio (FCR) (P<0.05) was observed by using naringenin at the rate of 10 mg/kg of feed, during the whole experiment period. The results of sensory evaluation showed that the breast meat was better (P<0.05) in flavour, mouth feeling and likeness in T2, T3 and T4 as compare to T1. The plasma GSHPx was significantly (P<0.05) increased on day 21 and 42 in treated groups as compare to control group. The MDA also showed significant difference between naringenin treated and control groups on day 21 with lower values for the birds treated with higher doses of naringenin. A significantly higher levels of SOD and TAOC were observed in chicken treated with naringenin at 21 or 42 days of age.