Impact of Moringa olifera leaves or saccharomyces supplementation on carcass quality, mRNA of heat shock proteins and antioxidants in broilers exposed to heat stress

Abstract

Application of natural feed additives with a view to enhance production performance, carcass quality and state of health has constituted an important request in production of poultry especially under heat stress conditions. This study aimed to investigate the impacts of dietary supplementation of Moringa oleifera and Saccharomyces cerevisiae on growth performance parameters, some blood biochemical findings, antioxidant status, relative mRNA of heat shock proteins HSP70 and HSP90 expressions and quality and antioxidant properties of breast meat in growing broilers exposed to heat stress. For this purpose, a total of 120 one-day-old chicks were randomly allotted into 6 dietary groups (T) with 20 chicks each, which were fed for 35 days with a basal diet. At the 21st day, Group T1 served as the negative control group unexposed to heat stress (21-22 °C). While, Group T2 served as the positive control group exposed to heat stress (33-35 °C) and relative humidity (64± 2).While, Groups T3, T4 and T5 served as experimental groups exposed to heat stress (33-35 °C) and humidity (64± 2) and supplemented with 2%, 4% and 6% of Moringa oleifera leaves (MOL), respectively, and Group T6 served as experimental group exposed to heat stress (33-35 °C) and humidity (64± 2) supplemented with 5% of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC). The obtained results showed that MOL and SC dietary supplementation to basal diet in groups T3, T4, T5 and T6 resulted in improved growth performance parameters (increased final B.W, BWG and F.I), improved liver and kidney function (reduced serum AST, ALT, creatinine and uric acid level), improved antioxidant status (reduced serum MDA levels and increased serum CAT, SOD and GPx activities), down-regulated relative HSP70 and HSP 90 mRNA expressions and improved breast meat quality (increased pH value, decreased drip loss, lower L* and higher a* and b*, increased protein and decreased fat contents and reduced TBARS contents) as compared to birds in group T2. In conclusion, the Moringa olifera leaves and Saccharomyces cerevisiae dietary supplementation to basal diet of heat-stressed broilers mitigated heat stress negative impacts: enhanced growth performance, antioxidant capacity, controlled HSP70 and HSP 90 relative mRNA expressions and improved breast meat quality and its oxidative state.

Keywords

• heat stress
• growth performance
• antioxidant capacity
• meat quality
• moringa olifera
• saccharomyces cerevisiae.