Applying Spruce Needle Extractives in Broiler Chicken Feeding
¹Research Institute of Biotechnology and Veterinary Medicine “Sigra” of Latvia University of Agriculture, Institūta 1, Sigulda, Latvia, LV-2150; e-mail: sigra@lis.lv
²Latvian State Forest Research Institute “Silava”, Rigas 111, Salaspils, Latvia, LV 2169; e-mail: inst@silava.lv
Abstract:
Spruce needle extractive substances were produced from a forestry by-product –green biomass of spruce needles. Spruce needle extracts contain a significant amount of natural biologically active substances. During our investigations the evaluation of biologically active substances from spruce needle total extract and of neutral extracts was carried out to assess their effects on innovative composition broiler chicken meat. The feeding trial was conducted with cross Ross 308 broiler chickens by adding the spruce needle total extract and, separately, neutral extract substances to the composition of broiler chickens’ diet. Using spruce needle extractive substances increased live weight on average by 4.31–7.58% (P < 0.05) and decreased feed conversion by 6.28–7.33% in comparison with the control group. The use of neutral extract substances in the poultry diet improved the composition of fatty acids, increased the amount of total carotenoids by 0.45–0.57 mg kg−1 and decreased the cholesterol level by 11.16–23.66 mg 100g−1 in meat.
Key words:
broiler chickens, meat quality, spruce needle extractives