Utilization of lemongrass essential oil supplementation on growth performance, meat quality, blood traits and caecum microflora of growing quails

Abstract

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citrates) is grown in tropical and semi-tropical climates. It is an aromatic herb widely used as a flavoring agent in human foods due to its potent flavor. It also includes essential oils, which are important for their antibacterial, antidiarrheal, antifungal, antioxidant, and growth-promoting properties. The experiment was carried out to evaluate lemongrass essential oil (LGEO) supplementation in growing quails. 240 seven days old unsexed Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) were divided into four groups of 30 quails each. There were ten replicates for each group, with six birds per replicate. The first group received no supplementation, whereas the second, third, and fourth groups received LGEO supplements 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 g/kg, respectively. Results showed that the growth performance (GP) traits were affected positively by LGEO addition (P ≤ 0.01) at 0.4 g/kg compared to control. All carcass traits were improved significantly (P ≤ 0.01) as affected by LGEO supplementation except carcass percentage. Also, LGEO supplementation enhances meat quality as it improves significantly (P ≤ 0.01) thigh meat water holding capacity (WHC) and pH values. Blood characteristics showed significantly decrease (P ≤ 0.01) on lipid profile, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) as affected by LGEO supplementation, inversely total protein, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), catalase, reduced glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were significantly increased by LGEO supplementation. Likewise, LGEO supplementation improves the concentration of lactobacillus. Results indicated that adding LGEO at 0.4 g/kg diet in quails diets enhance GP, meat quality, blood characteristics, and caecum microorganisms.