Malematja E, Manyelo T G, Ng'ambi J W, Nemauluma M F D, Kolobe S D
Department of Agricultural Economics and Animal Production, University of Limpopo, Private Bag X1106, Sovenga 0727, South Africa.
Anim Biosci. 2023 Jul;36(7):1075-1082. doi: 10.5713/ab.22.0399. Epub 2023 Feb 26.
Animal feed companies and researchers are currently embarking on quests for feed additives that could combat the pathogens while promoting growth as well as maintaining quality products. The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of onion extracts on growth performance, carcass quality, and bone morphometrics of broiler chickens.
A total number of 200 one-day-old unsexed Ross 308 broiler chicks were assigned to 5 treatment groups, replicated 4 times. Each replicate (pens) held 10 chickens in a completely randomized design. The experimental diets were then randomly allotted to the pens which act as experimental units. The isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diets were formulated by including onion extracts at 0, 5, 10, 15, or 25 g/kg in a complete broiler diet. Feed intake, and body weight, were recorded then used to calculate feed conversion ratio. At the end of the experiment (42 days), four chickens from each pen were randomly selected for slaughter for carcass, bone morphology and sensory evaluation.
Results showed that onion extract supplementation did not affect (p>0.05) growth performances and meat sensory evaluation. However, there was a significantly increased (p<0.05) meat shear force in groups receiving onion extracts dietary treatments. Furthermore, onion extracts improved (p<0.05) bone morphology of broiler chickens in terms of weight, diameter, calcium, and phosphorous contents.
In conclusion, onion extracts can be safely included in a commercial broiler diet as a growth promoter without causing adverse effects on growth performance traits and carcass quality in chickens. Onion extract supplementation improved tibia bone growth and strength in broiler chickens.
动物饲料公司和研究人员目前正在寻找能够对抗病原体、促进生长并保持产品质量的饲料添加剂。本研究旨在评估洋葱提取物对肉鸡生长性能、胴体品质和骨形态计量学的影响。
总共200只一日龄未分性别的罗斯308肉鸡雏鸡被分配到5个处理组，重复4次。每个重复（栏）以完全随机设计饲养10只鸡。然后将实验日粮随机分配到作为实验单位的栏中。通过在完整的肉鸡日粮中添加0、5、10、15或25 g/kg的洋葱提取物来配制等能量和等氮日粮。记录采食量和体重，然后用于计算饲料转化率。在实验结束时（42天），从每个栏中随机选择4只鸡进行屠宰，以进行胴体、骨骼形态和感官评估。
结果表明，添加洋葱提取物对生长性能和肉的感官评估没有影响（p>0.05）。然而，接受洋葱提取物日粮处理的组中肉的剪切力显著增加（p<0.05）。此外，洋葱提取物在重量、直径、钙和磷含量方面改善了（p<0.05）肉鸡的骨骼形态。
总之，洋葱提取物可以安全地添加到商业肉鸡日粮中作为生长促进剂，而不会对鸡的生长性能特征和胴体品质产生不利影响。添加洋葱提取物可改善肉鸡胫骨的生长和强度。
