PSVI-11 - Flavonoid Supplementation to Low Protein Diets Recovers Growth Performance in Broilers

Abstract: Recently, phytogenic feed additives containing flavonoids, essential oils and phenols are getting more attention as they have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and digestibility aiding abilities. Flavonoids have proved their abilities in reducing environmental stress along with activating immune responses. These positive impacts can be used to bring an improved growth performance in broilers, so we aimed to evaluate the effect of flavonoid supplementation to a low protein diet on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, excreta bacterial count and excreta gas emission in broilers. In total 800 one-day-old Ross 308 broilers (average body weight of 42.90±1.43 g) were divided randomly into 1 of 4 dietary treatments. Each treatment had 10 replicate pens with 20 chickens. Treatment diets were HCP (High protein diet), basal diet; LCP (Low protein diet), basal diet – 2.5% protein; TRT1, LCP + 0.025 flavonoid; TRT2, LCP + 0.050% flavonoid. Experimental diets were provided to broilers from days 8 to 35. HCP, LCP supplemented with flavonoid showed higher (P< 0.05) body weight gain (BWG) than the low protein diet (LCP) without flavonoid supplementation during days 8 to 21, and in the overall experiment. However, feed conversion ratio (FCR) of HCP group was reduced (P< 0.05) than the LCP group during days 8 to 21 and in overall period. Increasing level of flavonoid supplementations brought a linear increase in BWG during days 8 to 21 (P=0.0141), and overall period (P=0.0153). Increasing doses of flavonoid showed a tendency of gradual increase (P=0.0702) in dry matter (DM) digestibility in broilers. Lactobacillus, E. coli and Salmonella counts in excreta samples of experimental groups showed no significant difference (P>0.05). Flavonoid supplementation (0.050%) in low protein diet reduced (P< 0.05) drip loss in breast muscle than the low protein diet with 0% flavonoid supplementation. In short, flavonoid supplementation to a low protein diet recovered the body weight gain through better digestion broilers