Impact of dietary supplementation with cinnamon bark powder on broiler growth and carcass indices, small intestinal measurements, physico-chemical properties of meat and economics of production

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the possible impacts of cinnamon bark powder (CBP) on broiler chicken productivity in 34 days, body composition, meat physicochemical traits, and economics of broiler production. A total of 120 one-day-old Ross 308 broilers were in a completely randomized design (CRD) assigned to four treatments: 0, 2, 4, and 6 g CBP/kg basal diet (5 pens/treatment with 6 birds/pen). Growth and carcass indices, small intestinal (SI) dimensions, physicochemical properties, and efficiency of production were calculated. The results showed that feed consumption, feed cost, body composition, and breast color quality, except yellowness, were not affected by the treatments. The birds fed 2 g CBP/kg meal had greater (P < 0.05) width and thickness of the SI and its sections than the control group and had the highest growth, production efficiency, and profitability ratios compared to other CBP groups. The pH of meat dropped considerably at increasing levels of dietary CBP. In conclusion, the addition of CBP, especially at a level of 2 g, had a positive effect on the SI dimensions, growth indices, and economic profitability of the broilers without altering their carcass traits or meat quality attributes.