Effect of chestnut wood extract on performance, meat quality, antioxidant status, immune function, and cholesterol metabolism in broilers

Abstract

Plant extracts have been proved as natural antioxidants resources as well as alternative feed additives in livestock and poultry species. Chestnut wood extract ( CWE ) as a source of hydrolysable tannic acid was used to evaluate the growth performance, nutrient retention, meat quality, antioxidant status, and immune function of broilers. A total of 168, day-old Arbor Acre male broilers (weight 46.59 ± 0.44 g) were randomly divided to 3 treatments, 7 replicate pens per treatment, 8 broilers per pen. The treatments contain a control diet, CON (corn-soybean meal basal diet); an antibiotic diet, CTC (basal diet + 75 mg/kg chlortetracycline); and chestnut wood extract diet, CWE (basal diet + 1,000 mg/kg chestnut tannins). At the finisher phase, final body weight was higher ( P < 0.05) in CWE supplemented diet than in CON. Average daily body weight gain was higher ( P < 0.05) and feed gain ratio was lower ( P < 0.05) in broilers fed CWE than in those fed CON at the finisher phase. Crude protein digestibility was higher ( P < 0.05) in broilers offered CWE than that in broilers fed CON and CTC diets. Breast muscle pH value at 24 h (pH 24 h ) was higher ( P < 0.05) in broilers fed CWE than that in those fed CON and CTC diets. The bursa weight was higher ( P < 0.05) in broilers offered CWE than that in those fed CON and CTC. Total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) values were higher ( P < 0.05) in both breast muscle and thigh muscle of broilers offered CWE supplemented diet than those in broilers fed CON and CTC diets. Similarly, broilers offered with CWE diets showed higher ( P < 0.05) T-AOC, GSH-PX, and SOD value in serum than those fed CON and CTC diets. Serum concentration of IgG was higher ( P < 0.05) in broilers offered with CWE diets than that in those fed CON and CTC diets. Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and urea-N concentration were lower ( P < 0.05) in broilers offered CWE diet than those in broilers fed CON and CTC diets. It was recommended to supply CWE at the 1,000 mg/kg level for improving antioxidant status, cholesterol metabolism, and growth performance without affecting normal meat quality in broilers.

Effects of Supplementation with a Quebracho Tannin Product as an Alternative to Antibiotics on Growth Performance, Diarrhea, and Overall Health in Early-Weaned Piglets

“…Liu et al [ 27 , 28 ] demonstrated that the use of chestnut tannins as feed additives could increase immunoglobulin levels in pigs and broilers. However, the present study did not observe changes in immunoglobulin concentrations, suggesting that the results were related to tannin type; thus far, there have been few reports describing the effect of MGM-P supplementation on immunoglobulin levels in pigs.…”

Tannins and gut health in broilers: Effects of a blend of chestnut and quebracho tannins on gut health and performance of broiler chickens

“…Among described alternatives, phytochemicals and tannins in particular, are probably some of the most promising candidates since many studies assessed animal responses to the dietary inclusion of these compounds [7, 27,28] and some of the reported biological activities are similar to those proposed for AGPs [5,6]. Although the beneficial effects of phytochemicals as feed additives in poultry have been previously described [8, [29][30][31], and different tannin-based products have been used in commercial operations for many years now [5,14], descriptions on their application as main component of an AGP free . CC-BY 4.0 International license available under a was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity.…”

“…Among described alternatives, phytochemicals and tannins in particular, are probably some of the most promising candidates since many studies assessed animal responses to the dietary inclusion of these compounds [7,27,28] and some of the reported biological activities are similar to those proposed for AGPs [5,6]. Although the beneficial effects of phytochemicals as feed additives in poultry have been previously described [8,[29][30][31], and different tannin-based products have been used in commercial operations for many years now [5,14], descriptions on their application as main component of an AGP free program under commercial conditions are scarce [6]. In the present study, results from two different field trials show that dietary addition of a blend of chestnut and quebracho tannins at 0.1% (w/w) represents a promising alternative for AGPs, since broiler chickens raised under commercial conditions achieve similar productive results either in AGP or tannins-based programs.…”

“…In the past, tannins have been considered harmful to monogastric animals due to their negative effect on nutrient digestibility, nitrogen retention and productive qualities [32,33], but current research has led to an understanding of the chemical and biological activities of these complex compounds, transforming the conventional anti-nutritional concept of tannins [6][7][8][9][29][30][31]. In fact, their effects have been shown to differ among animal species and to depend on time and dose exposure as well as on variations in chemical structures [28].…”

“…In fact, their effects have been shown to differ among animal species and to depend on time and dose exposure as well as on variations in chemical structures [28]. Previous works using tannins to promote growth show variable results, while the works performed by Manelli et al [29] and Liu et al [30] describe positive effects on poultry growth after the addition of chestnut tannins (1-3 g/kg), Jamroz et al [34] did not find any significant effects on body weight gain and feed conversion in broilers supplemented with chestnut tannins (250 or 500 mg/kg), similar results are described by Brenes et al [35] in broilers fed with grape pomace (condensed tannins about 1,500 mg/kg) at different levels (15 mg, 30 mg, and 60 mg/kg). These differences may be related to the tannin source, manufacture conditions and other conditions not described in the mentioned studies.…”