Feeding dihydroquercetin to broiler chickens

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Poultry Nutrition
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Dihydroquercetin (DHQ), a flavonoid from Siberian Larch (Larix sibirica), is investigated for its potential benefits in animal feed.
• Broiler chickens are a significant sector of the poultry industry, with continuous research into feed additives to optimize production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effects of dietary dihydroquercetin (DHQ) on growth performance, gastrointestinal and immune organ development, blood parameters, hepatic vitamin E, and nutrient utilization in broiler chickens.
• To determine if DHQ supplementation influences N-corrected metabolisable energy (AMEn) and nutrient retention coefficients in broiler diets.

Main Methods:

• 80 male Ross 308 broilers were fed either a control diet or a diet supplemented with 0.5 g/kg DHQ (85% purity) from 7 to 35 days of age.
• Growth performance, gastrointestinal tract and immune organ development, blood glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and haemoglobin, hepatic vitamin E, AMEn, and nutrient retention were assessed.

Main Results:

• Dietary DHQ supplementation did not significantly affect broiler growth performance, gastrointestinal tract and immune organ development, or blood and hepatic parameters.
• A notable increase in the redness index of breast meat was observed in broilers fed DHQ.
• No negative effects were observed from DHQ supplementation at 0.5 g/kg under standard rearing conditions.

Conclusions:

• DHQ supplementation at 0.5 g/kg in standard broiler diets did not improve performance or measured physiological variables, except for enhancing breast meat redness.
• Further research exploring different DHQ dosages or challenging conditions like heat stress may reveal additional benefits for broiler production.