The effect of feeding milk thistle seed cakes on quality indicators of broiler chickens meat

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding milk thistle (Silybum marianum L.) seed cakes at dose 5% and 15% in feed mixture on quality indicators of broiler chickens meat. The used milk thistle seed cakes contained 3.73% of flavonolignans and 129.83 mg.kg -1 of cyanidin-3-glucoside. A 150 cockerels of Ross 308 were divided into three equal groups. The chickens were fattened on conventional deep litter system. The experimental groups received feed mixtures containing 5% of milk thistle seed cakes (MT5), 15% of milk thistle seed cakes (MT15) and third group was controlwithout milk thistle seed cakes (C). The trial lasted 37 days. At the end of trial was observed significant higher average weight of chickens (2,320.31 g) in control group. Compare to that the experimental group MT5 achieved significant lower mean bodyweight 2,166.69 g. From the perspective of fattening was decreased growth of chickens where a higher percentage of milk thistle seed cakes (MT15). The group MT15 was up to 420 g lower slaughter weight compared to the control group. This was probably due to the higher content of fiber in the feed. At the end of experiment 15 birds were selected randomly from each group, weighed and slaughtered. Feathers were removed and chickens were eviscerated. Carcass yield was calculated for each group like as percentage of live weight. The MT5 and MT15 group had significantly higher breast meat tenderness that the control group. Initial pH1 was highest in group with its middle addition of milk thistle seed cakes (MT5). Significant differences were not observed between control and group MT15. Breast meat was rated as the best in parameter flavour in control and MT15 group. The thigh meat was evaluated significantly best for colour parameter in MT15 group. Fibreness was rated as the finest in MT15 group. The addition of milk thistle seed cakes do not worsened sensory characteristic of breast or thigh meat of broilers and reflects optimal sensory quality traits.

Impact of Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum [L.] Gaertn.) Seeds in Broiler Chicken Diets on Rearing Results, Carcass Composition, and Meat Quality

“…The absence of an impact of milk thistle in broiler chicken feed on the total protein content in breast and leg muscles corroborates the results obtained by Št'astník et al [48]. However, own studies showed a significant reduction in the amount of crude fat contained in the leg muscles of birds receiving feed rations with milk thistle in comparison to the control group.…”

“…The studies and experiments carried out by Kralik et al [47] and Št'astník et al [48] showed different impacts of diets containing milk thistle on the acidity of broiler chickens' meat. The results did not corroborate an impact of the nutrition used on the reaction of breast and leg muscles, while Kralik et al [47] found a decrease in the initial pH and an increase in the final pH of breast muscles after adding 3% of oil to the diet.…”

“…The results did not corroborate an impact of the nutrition used on the reaction of breast and leg muscles, while Kralik et al [47] found a decrease in the initial pH and an increase in the final pH of breast muscles after adding 3% of oil to the diet. In turn, Št'astník et al [48] noted an increased pH of breast muscles after adding 5% or 15% (of Silybum marianum) to broiler chicken feed rations.…”

“…Tedesco et al [31] and Mojahedtalab et al [45] showed a positive effect of supplementing broiler chicken feed rations with silymarin-phospholipid complex or silymarin on the performance results. Similarly, the post-slaughter results of birds fed diets containing Silybum marianum do not unanimously show how it affects the carcass composition and meat quality, since available literature lacks an evaluation the physico-chemical and organoleptic characteristics of meat [7,43,[46][47][48][49].…”

The Milk Thistle Seed Cakes and Hempseed Cakes are Potential Feed for Poultry

“…In our experiments, from the fattening point of view, the live weight of chickens decreased where the content of seed cakes in the mixtures increased [ 34 , 46 , 47 , 48 ]. The trend of the lower live weight of chickens with an increasing proportion of expellers was also confirmed in the study of Suchý et al [ 39 ], who found that the addition of 0.2% and 1% milk thistle expellers (2% crude fiber content in diets) led to a statistically insignificant reduction in live weight and feed conversion.…”