Effects Of Salvia Miltiorrhiza Extract,Dandelion Extract On Production Performance,Meat Quality,Immune And Antioxidant Function Of Broilers

This experiment was to investigate the effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza extract and dandelion extract on production performance,meat quality,immune function and antioxidant ability of broilers.A total of 192 1-day-old male Cobb-500 broilers were randomly divided into 4 groups with 6 replicates per group and 8 broilers per replicate.Broilers in the control group were fed a basal diet,and broilers in the experimental groups were fed diets with 0.1%Salvia miltiorrhiza extract,0.1%dandelion extract and 0.1%compound extract(0.05%Salvia miltiorrhiza extract+0.05%dandelion extract),respectively.The experiment lasted for 42 days.The results showed that:①Effect of Salvia miltiorrhiza extract and dandelion extract on the production performance of broilers:1)Compared with the control group,from 22 to 42 days of age,the average daily gain(ADG)of broilers in the compound group was significantly increased(P<0.05),the feed/gain ratio of broilers in dandelion group and compound group were significantly decreased(P<0.05);from 1 to 42 days of age,the ADG of broilers in experimental groups were significantly increased(P<0.05),and the feed/gain ratio were significantly decreased(P<0.05).2)Compared with the control group,there were no significant effects on the dressed rate,half eviscerated rate,eviscerated rate,breast muscle rate and leg muscle rate of broilers in each experimental group(P>0.05).The abdominal fat rate of broilers in Salvia miltiorrhiza group and compound group were significantly reduced(P<0.05).②Effect of Salvia miltiorrhiza extract and dandelion extract on the meat quality of broilers:Compared with the control group,there were no significant effects on pH45min,pH24h,cooking loss and dripping loss on broiler breast and leg muscles in each experimental group(P>0.05),and the shear force of breast muscle of broilers in all experimental groups were remarkably significantly reduced(P<0.01),and the shear force of leg muscle of broilers in compound group was significantly reduced(P<0.05).③Effect of Salvia miltiorrhiza extract and dandelion extract on the immune function of broilers:1)Compared with the control group,at 42 days of age,the thymus index of broilers in Salvia miltiorrhiza group and compound group were significantly increased(P<0.05),moreover,the spleen index of broilers in compound group was significantly increased(P<0.05).Among the experimental groups,spleen index of broilers in compound group at 42 days of age was significantly higher than that in dandelion group(P<0.05).2)Compared with the control group,the serum immunoglobulin A(IgA),immunoglobulin G(IgG)and immunoglobulin M(IgM)of broilers at 21 days of age in experimental groups and serum IgG,IgM at 42 days of age were remarkably increased(P<0.01),moreover,the serum IgA at 42 days of age in compound group were significantly increased(P<0.05);the serum lysozyme(LZM)of broilers at 21 and 42 days of age in experimental groups were significantly increased(P<0.05);the serum Newcastle disease(ND)antibody titer of of broilers at 21 and 42 days of age in dandelion group and compound group were significantly increased(P<0.05).Among the experimental groups,the contents of IgA,IgG,IgM in serum at 21 days of age and contents of IgG,IgM in serum at 42 days of age in compound group were remarkably higher than those of Salvia miltiorrhiza group and dandelion group(P<0.01).3)Compared with the control group,contents of TNF-α in serum at 21 days and IL-6 in serum at 42 days of broilers in compound group were significantly reduced(P<0.05).④Effect of Salvia miltiorrhiza extract and dandelion extract on the antioxidant function of broilers:Compared with the control group,plasma Glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px)activity of broilers at 21 days of age in dandelion group and compound group were significantly increased(P<0.05),and plasma GSH-Px of broilers at 42 days of age in experimental group were remarkably increased(P<0.01),the contents of plasma Malondialdehyde(MDA)of broilers at 21 and 42 days of age in Salvia miltiorrhiza and compound group were significantly decreased(P<0.05).Among the experimental groups,the content of plasma MDA in compound group at 42 days of age was significantly lower than that of the dandelion group(P<0.05).To sum up,adding 0.1%Salvia miltiorrhiza extract,dandelion extract and their compound to the diet can improve the growth performance,improve slaughtering performance and meat quality,enhance the immune function,reduce inflammatory factors,and improve the antioxidant function of broilers.According to various indexes,the compound extract has a better effect on broilers than Salvia miltiorrhiza extract and dandelion extract.