Effect of novel natural feed additive containing Averrhoa bilimbi L. fruit filtrate, wheat bran, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae on growth performance and meat characteristics of broilers

BACKGROUND AND AIM: In the post-antibiotic era, consumer demand for healthy and safe meats has prompted poultry producers to seek alternative effective feed additives. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a novel natural feed additive based on a mixture of Averrhoa bilimbi L. fruit filtrate, wheat bran, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae on the growth rate, internal organ weight, and breast meat characteristics of broilers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 280 1-day-old chicks were divided into one control (CNTRL; feed without additives) and three treatment groups: NOV25, feed with 2.5 g/kg novel additive; NOV50, feed with 5.0 g/kg novel additive; and NOV100, feed with 10 g/kg novel additive. The body weight (BW), feed intake (FI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were measured weekly. On day 35, the chickens from each group were slaughtered, and their internal organs and breast meat samples were collected. RESULTS: The BW of broilers in NOV100 was greater (p=0.016) than that in the other groups. The FCRs in the treatments groups were lower (p<0.001) than that in the control group. Elevated levels of the novel additive increased (p=0.051) the relative weight of the duodenum. The pH values in the breast meat of broilers receiving the novel additive were higher (p<0.001) than that in control. The C20:3n-6 of the NOV100 breast meat was lower (p=0.012) than that of NOV25 and NOV50, but it did not differ from that of the control. The unsaturated fatty acid-to-saturated fatty acid ratio in the breast meats of the treatments was higher (p=0.032) than that in control. The L-tyrosine content in NOV50 breast meat was higher (p=0.036) than that in CNTRL and NOV100 but did not differ from that in NOV25. CONCLUSION: The proposed feed additive improved the live BW and FCR of broilers and the physical and nutritional qualities of broiler breast meat.