Effect of dietary supplementation of marigold pigment on immunity, skin and meat color, and growth performance of broiler chickens

Abstract

Marigold flower extract, a natural pigment, was used to determine its effect on carcass and skin pigmentation, immunity and growth performance of broiler chickens. Two hundred and forty 1-day-old Arbor Acres broiler chicks were randomly distributed into four treatment groups with six replicates in a randomized block design. Birds were fed basal diet for 42 d with or without supplementation of marigold flower extract at various concentrations, i.e., 0 (MG0, control), 100 (MG100), 150 (MG150) and 200 (MG200) mg/kg of feed, respectively. Feed intake and live body weight were weekly recorded. Carcass and shank color, and antibody titers against Newcastle and Influenza viruses were measured. Results showed that marigold flower extract significantly (p<0.05) improved live body weight and relative thymus weight. However, feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and spleen and bursa weights were not significantly affected. Yellowness (b*) of breast and thigh muscles increased by the dietary supplementation of marigold flower extract compared with the control diet. However, lightness (L*), redness (a*) and redness to yellowness ratio (a/b) were not influenced by the treatments. Moreover, Roche color fan scores of the shank skin were increased at market age (d 42). The results revealed that marigold extract enhanced antibody titers against Newcastle and influenza viruses. It was possible to conclude that the dietary supplementation with marigold flower extract at the rate of 200 mg/kg of feed enhanced carcass and shank color, antibody titers against ND and AI, and growth performance of broiler chickens

Effect of Pidotimod, Astragalus and Eachnicea on Immune Response and Growth Performance of Broiler Chicks

“…The result showed that, antibody titers against ND were significantly increased (P≤ 0.05) at both 21 days and 28 days, this finding assent to the findings [57][58][59]. The antibody titers against ND were significantly increased (P≤ 0.05) in astragalus-fed groups in both 21 and 35 days than in control, The obtained result was in agreement with the findings [57][58][59] stated that, the phytobiotic might be attributed to the stimulation of the complement receptor mediated phagocytosis. Thus, led to a significant increase in the humoral antibody titers against the ND virus, they activate the immune system [60].…”

Effects of Olive Leaf and Marigold Extracts on the Utilization of Nutrients and on Bone Mineralization using Two Different Oil Sources in Broilers

“…Rajput et al (2012) found that the body and thymus weights of broilers fed a marigold flower extract-supplemented diet improved compared to those of animals fed a control diet. Results from pigs were also promising, as Frankič et al (2008) reported antioxidant effects of marigold petals and flower-top extracts in vivo, comparable to those of vitamin E.…”

Plasma carotenoids and immunity in a despotic avian scavenger

“…Therefore, this carotenoid fraction could be the main one involved in the association with acute‐phase proteins and immunoglobulins. This may be expected because xanthophylls are considered potent immune enhancers both in cell‐mediated and humoral responses in humans (Chew, 1993; Chew & Park, 2004), other mammal species (Kim et al, 2000a, 2000b), and birds (Leclaire et al, 2015; McGraw & Ardia, 2003; Rajput, Naeem, Ali, Rui, & Tian, 2012). In addition, given that Andean condors may display carotenoid‐based pigmentation (Blanco et al, 2013; Marinero et al, 2018), our results suggest that a trade‐off between external coloration and the immune system might occur in this species, but this merits further research.…”