Effects of Using Plant Extracts and Liquid Mineral on Growth Performance, Organ Weight and Meat Quality of Broiler Chickens

Abstract

A 35-day trial investigated the influence of Mentha arvensis (MA) and Geranium thunbergii (GT) extracts and liquid mineral (LM) in drinking water, on the growth performance, breast and thigh meat yield, digestive organ weights and meat quality characteristics in broilers. A total of 210 broilers were divided into the following treatment groups: (i) control, (ii) T1 (0.05% 4 MA: 1 GT + 0.01% LM), (iii) T2 (0.05% 4 MA: 1 GT + 0.05% LM), (iv) T3 (0.05% 4 MA: 1 GT + 0.1% LM), (v) T4 (0.1% 4 MA: 1 GT + 0.01% LM), (vi) T5 (0.1% 4 MA: 1 GT + 0.05% LM) and (vii) T6 (0.1% 4 MA: 1 GT + 0.1% LM). Significantly improved weight gain (P<0.05) and FCR was observed in T2 relative to the control and other treatment groups. Breast and thigh meat yields were not influenced by the treatments. However, the weight of small intestine was significantly reduced (P<0.05) in birds receiving dietary treatment T4 as compared with the control. On an average, meat TBARS value was decreased (P<0.05) in all supplemented groups (except T1 and T2) and the lowest (P<0.05) meat microbiological count was seen in T4. These results indicate that certain ratios of plant extracts and liquid minerals can be used to enhance the performance and meat quality in poultry.