Effects of carvacrol- and thymol-based essential oil feed additives on carcass characteristics and breast meat quality of broilers with or without Salmonella challenge.
Dietary supplementation with carvacrol- and thymol-based essential oils had minimal effects on carcass yield and most meat quality parameters in broilers.
Where it sits
this study against the rest of the selank corpusSummary and findings
This study evaluated the effects of essential oil-based feed additives on carcass characteristics and breast meat quality of broiler chickens with or without Salmonella challenge. A total of 1,800 one-day-old Ross 708 male broilers were assigned to nine dietary treatments over 42 days. Minimal effects were observed on carcass yield and most meat quality parameters, with differences noted in breast meat redness.
Abstract
This study evaluated the effects of essential oil-based feed additives on carcass characteristics and breast meat quality of broiler chickens with or without Salmonella challenge. A total of 1,800 one-day-old Ross 708 male broilers were randomly assigned to nine dietary treatments from day 0 to 42: a negative control diet without Salmonella inoculation and without essential oils (NC), NC supplemented with Salvix containing 50% carvacrol at 1,100 g/ton (NC+CAR1), NC supplemented with Esencial Premix containing 45% thymol at 250 g/ton (NC+THY1), a positive control diet with Salmonella inoculation without essential oils (PC), PC supplemented with Salvix at 1,100 g/ton (PC+CAR1) or 2,200 g/ton (PC+CAR2), PC supplemented with Esencial Premix at 250 g/ton (PC+THY1) or 500 g/ton (PC+THY2), and a combination of carvacrol and thymol (COMBO). Birds were processed on day 43, and carcass yield, cut-up part weights, breast meat quality traits, proximate composition, and the incidence of breast muscle myopathies were evaluated. Dietary treatment did not influence live body weight, hot or cold carcass weight, dressing percentage, or the absolute and relative yields of major carcass components, including breast, tenders, wings, and legs (P > 0.05). Similarly, breast meat pH, shear force, shear energy, drip loss at 48 h postmortem, lightness (L*), and yellowness (b*) were not influenced by treatment (P > 0.05). Breast meat redness (a*) differed among treatments (P = 0.035), with the highest values observed in the COMBO and NC treatments, whereas the lowest redness occurred in the Salmonella-challenged positive control group. Proximate analysis showed no treatment effects on moisture, crude protein, fat, salt, total collagen, soluble collagen, or insoluble collagen fractions of breast meat (P > 0.05). The incidence and severity of woody breast, white striping, and spaghetti meat were also similar across treatments (P > 0.05). Overall, dietary supplementation with carvacrol- and thymol-based essential oils had minimal effects on carcass yield and most meat quality parameters in broilers, while differences among treatments were observed in breast meat redness under the experimental conditions of this study.
Background
This paper addresses the impact of essential oil-based feed additives on the quality of broiler chicken meat, particularly under conditions of Salmonella challenge. Prior research has indicated that feed additives can influence meat quality, but the specific effects of carvacrol and thymol were not well established. Understanding these effects is important for improving poultry production and meat quality.
Methods
The study utilized a randomized design with 1,800 one-day-old Ross 708 male broilers assigned to nine dietary treatments from day 0 to 42. Treatments included control diets with and without essential oils and Salmonella inoculation. Primary outcomes measured were carcass yield, cut-up part weights, breast meat quality traits, and the incidence of breast muscle myopathies.
Results
No significant differences were found for live body weight, hot or cold carcass weight, dressing percentage, or yields of major carcass components (P > 0.05). Breast meat redness (a*) showed significant differences among treatments (P = 0.035), with the highest values in COMBO and NC treatments. Other quality parameters, including pH and shear force, did not differ significantly (P > 0.05).
Interpretation
The findings suggest that while there are statistically significant differences in breast meat redness, the overall effect sizes are small and may not be clinically meaningful. The lack of significant differences in most other quality parameters indicates that the essential oils tested may not provide substantial benefits. Limitations include the absence of long-term follow-up and the potential for confounding factors in the study design.
Key findings
- P > 0.05 for live body weight, hot or cold carcass weight, dressing percentage, and absolute and relative yields of major carcass components.
- P > 0.05 for breast meat pH, shear force, shear energy, drip loss at 48 h postmortem, lightness (L*), and yellowness (b*).
- P = 0.035 for breast meat redness (a*), with highest values in COMBO and NC treatments.
- No treatment effects on moisture, crude protein, fat, salt, total collagen, soluble collagen, or insoluble collagen fractions (P > 0.05).
- Incidence and severity of woody breast, white striping, and spaghetti meat were similar across treatments (P > 0.05).
Limitations
- P > 0.05 for most carcass and meat quality parameters.
- No long-term follow-up reported.
- Single-site study may limit generalizability.
- Potential confounding factors not addressed.