Evaluation of Some Phytogenic Feed Supplements for Lean Meat Production in Commercial Broiler Chicken

Chicken meat tends to be high in polyunsaturated fatty acids and cholesterol, which may increase the risk of atherosclerosis, stroke and other associated diseases. A study was conducted for 42 days to evaluate the efficacy of dietary supplementation of two phytogenic feed supplements viz. AV/LMP/10 and AV/HLP/16 (M/s Ayurvet Limited, India) for their ability to produce lean meat in commercial broiler chicken. One hundred and fifty (150) one-day old Cobb-400 broiler chicks were randomly allocated to five equal groups. All the groups were fed standard basal ration. T0 was control group (without treatment), groups T1 and T2 were supplemented with AV/LMP/10 @ 500 g/ton and 1 kg/ton of feed, respectively. Groups T3 and T4 were supplemented with AV/HLP/16 @ 1 kg/ton and 1.5 kg/ton of feed, respectively. On day 42, significantly better (P<0.05) results were obtained in the treated groups (T1-T4) in terms of body weight (2118.10±0.61, 2159.20±0.34, 2098.90±0.41, and 2180.40±0.56 g), total protein (19.10±0.56, 19.93±1.18, 20.80±0.36, and 21.04±0.64%), crude fat (1.25 ±0.25, 1.25 ± 0.31, 0.92 ± 0.24, and 1.03 ± 0.03%), pH (6.01 ± 0.07, 5.93 ± 0.09, 5.78 ± 0.08, and 6.06 ± 0.09), TBARS value (1.11±0.07, 1.11±0.05, 1.06±0.06, and 1.08±0.06 mg/Kg), cholesterol (54.19±1.11, 35.72±1.71, 45.61±1.54, and 36.09±1.045 mg/dL), HDL cholesterol (16.70±0.56, 12.61±1.28, 14.16±1.02, and 15.59±0.57 mg/dL) and total lipids (1.60±0.13, 1.56±0.22, 1.64±0.15, and 2.03±0.12 mg/g) in comparison to the untreated group (2050.80±0.71 g, 18.15±0.41%, 1.66 ± 0.48%, 6.07 ± 0.08, 1.18±0.09 mg/Kg, 62.36±0.88 mg/dL, 24.25±0.54 mg/dL and 2.42±0.18 mg/g). FCR and slaughter parameters varied non-significantly among different groups. The meat: bone ratio was numerically higher in the treated groups T1-4 (2.01±0.20, 2.09 ±0.19, 2.16±0.20 and 1.89±0.35) as compared to the control group (1.80±0.18). The highest protein content was obtained in T4 (21.04%) followed by T3 (20.80%), T2 (19.93%), T1 (19.10%) and lowest in T0 (18.15%), while highest crude fat was obtained in the muscles of the control group T0 (1.66%) followed by T1 and T2 (1.25%), T4 (1.03%) and T3 (0.92). Overall sensory acceptability of meat also improved in the supplemented groups. From the present study, it could be concluded that the phytogenic formulations AV/LMP/10 and AV/HLP/16 were effective in lean meat production in broiler chicken.