Effects of Ground Flaxseed on Growth Performance, Intestinal Morphology, and Meat Fortification with Fatty Acids in Finisher Male Broiler Chickens

The current study aimed to determine the optimum level of ground flaxseed needed to improve performance and enrich broiler meat with omega-۳ fatty acids (n-۳ FA). A total of ۳۶۰ twenty-five-day-old male broilers (Ross ۳۰۸) were reared on floor pens and fed diets supplemented with ground flaxseed during the finisher phase (d ۲۵-۴۵). The chickens were assigned to four treatments of six replicates as follows: ۱) corn-soybean meal (CSM) based diet as control; ۲) CSM supplemented by ۳% ground flaxseed (flax۳); ۳) CSM supplemented by ۶% ground flaxseed (flax۶); ۴) CSM supplemented by ۹% ground flaxseed (flax۹). Results showed that flax۶ increased (P < ۰.۰۵) daily gain (ADG) and feed intake (ADFI), while it did not affect feed conversion ratio (FCR). In addition, flax۹ decreased (P < ۰.۰۵) ADG and ADFI, and impaired (P < ۰.۰۵) FCR compared to the control group at the end of the experiment (d ۴۵). Feeding flax۶ increased (P < ۰.۰۵) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and n-۳ FA in breast and thigh muscles and lowered (P < ۰.۰۵) abdominal fat pad weight compared to the control group. Results revealed that feeding birds with ground flax۶ improves growth performance, reducing fat depots and enriching meat with n-۳ PUFA without negatively affecting gut morphology.

کلیدواژه ها:

N-۳ fatty acids ، Broiler chicken ، Ground flaxseed ، Villi morphology ، Polyunsaturated fatty acid