Evaluating the dietary effects of elderberry (Sambucus ebulus) on production performance, carcass characteristics, biochemical parameters and blood antioxidant status, immune system, and meat sensory and taste traits, and its fatty acid profile in broiler chickens

Introduction: Elderberry (Sambucus ebulus) as a valuable antioxidant, immune stimulant, anti-influenza and antibiotic alternative and a strong antiviral supplement, and in parallel reducing a variety of metabolic and non-metabolic diseases, can have a good prospect in poultry nutrition. It has been proven that Sambucus ebulus fruit extract can increase cytokine production by monocytes, and subsequently the expression of IL-۶, IL-۸ and TNF is revealed, and the immune system in the host body is modulated and improved. Administration of this extract of this plant through drinking water showed positive and promising results in the improvement and treatment of H۹N۲ avian influenza. Therefore, the present study was planned to evaluate the dietary effects of elderberry (Sambucus ebulus) on production performance, carcass characteristics, biochemical parameters and blood antioxidant status, immune system, and meat sensory and taste traits, and its fatty acid profile in broiler chickens. Material and method: Biological experiments were conducted in a completely randomized design using elderberry (Sambucus ebulus) fruit powder (SE) consisting of three treatments of ۰, ۱.۵ and ۲%, each treatment consisting of ۵ replications and ۱۰ birds per replication, and a total of ۱۵۰ Ross ۳۰۸ broiler chickens. Assay diets based on corn and soybean meal were formulated during three periods: starter (۱-۱۱ d), grower (۱۲-۲۱ d) and finisher (۲۲-۴۲ d). During the three rearing periods of starter, grower, finisher and the entire period, feed intake (FI) and body weight (BW) were measured, respectively, and FCR was also calculated. At the end of the period, after four hours of starvation, two birds with the average weight of their experimental unit from each replicate were randomly selected and slaughtered and, by separating the carcasses, the following were weighed and measured: live weight, defeather body, eviscerated carcass, breast, thigh, gizzard, crop, liver, heart, pancreas, spleen, bursa of Fabricius weight and abdominal fat, respectively, with a scale with an accuracy of ۰.۰۰۱. In addition, at the end of the period, blood samples were taken from the wing vein of three birds from each replicate using sterile ۵ cc syringes, and biochemical blood parameters were measured. To evaluate immunological parameters, sheep red blood cells (SRBC) were injected at a ۵% dilution into the pectoral muscle area of the birds on days ۲۸ and ۳۶ of rearing in a volume of ۰.۲ cc. Seven days after SRBC injection (days ۳۵ and ۴۲), samples were taken from the wing vein of the same injected birds with sterile syringes with a volume of ۳ cc to evaluate the level of antibodies against SRBC using the hemagglutination method for Newcastle disease (NDV) and influenza (AIV) titers. In order to evaluate the fatty acid profile of meat, sampling was performed from the whole breast of the bird and meat health indices including omega ۶ to omega ۳ ratio, atherogenic index (AI), thrombogenic index (TI), hypocholesterolemic index (HI), and hypocholesterolemic to hypercholesterolemic ratio were calculated. For the sensory and taste attributes item including the evaluation of aroma, flavor, odor, tenderness, color and overall desirability of breast meat, one sample was taken from each replicate and the samples were cooked without spices. Then, it was evaluated by six panels (food testers) (by scoring from ۱ to ۱۰). All data obtained were collected in Excel software and the results were analyzed with statistical software (SAS ۹.۳). Comparisons of treatment means were reported with Duncan's multiple range test. Quadratic, linear, nonlinear and orthogonal equations were reported and finding the turning point of quadratic equations was achieved with the "Solver" extension of Excel software. For traits related to breast fatty acids, statistical analysis was not performed and only the raw laboratory data report was published and the calculation of indices was presented.Results and discussion: The performance results showed that only in the finisher period (۲۲-۴۲ d), the feed conversion ratio (FCR) increased at the level of ۲% (P<۰.۰۵) and for other periods and even the entire period, there was no negative effect on performance after SE feeding (P<۰.۰۵). Carcass traits for live body weight and defeather body weight in the control treatment were significantly higher in the SE-fed groups (P<۰.۰۵). Also, for these two mentioned traits, the contrast effects of the control group compared with the combined effect of the SE-fed groups were significantly different (P<۰.۰۵). Eviscerated carcass, heart and pancreas weights in the control treatment were significant compared with the combined effect of the SE-fed groups (P<۰.۰۵). However, no significant difference was observed in carcass relative weight between the experimental treatments (P<۰.۰۵). Results of blood parameters for glucose, cholesterol, atherogenic index, triglyceride, phosphorus, Fe, calcium, liver enzymes and total antioxidant capacity were significantly different in line with the improvement of chicken health after SE feeding (P<۰.۰۱). For immunological traits Antibody Titr (۳۵day-SRBC test), the treatment containing ۱.۵% SE and the control treatment had significantly higher values than the ۲% SE treatment (P<۰.۰۵). Meat color was observed to increase in the treatments fed with SE compared with the control treatment (P<۰.۰۵). Overall, the results indicated that SE feeding in broiler chickens with the least negative effect on performance has a positive role on the biochemical health parameters of blood and immunity of broilers and in parallel affected meat color and the potential of supplementing this antioxidant source in nutrition has a promising perspective for health.

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