Oxidative Stability and Physico-chemical Properties of Meat from Broilers Fed with Dietary Neem Leaf Powder, Spirulina and their Combination

This 6 week study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidant potential, maintaining quality and sensory properties of broiler meat from birds fed on dietary neem leaf powder (NLP). A total of 90 Vencobb broiler chicks were randomly allotted to 6 groups of 15 birds in each. Dietary treatments consisted of normal diet (control Group I), feed containing terramycin-200 (TM-200*) at the concentration of 0.05% (Group II), feed containing NLP of 0.2% (Group III), feed containing NLP of 0.2% and spirulina of 1% (Group IV), feed containing TM-200 at 0.05% and spirulina of 1% (Group V) and feed containing spirulina of 1% (Group VI). At the end of the experiment liver, kidney and muscle samples were collected to evaluate the tissue peroxidation (TBARS and protein carbonyls) and antioxidant markers (SOD). Physico-chemical quality determinants of both fresh and preserved meat viz. extract release volume (ERV), water holding capacity (WHC) and pH were also studied. TBARS protein carbonyls indicated a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in all the treated groups when compared to control. Superoxide dismutase levels were found to be significantly increased in all the treated groups, in all the tissues collected. Compared to control group, favorable physico-chemical quality determinants were recorded in all the treated groups. The sensory attributes did not show significant (P < 0.05) differences for color, flavor, juiciness, tenderness and overall acceptability. This study indicates enhanced stress tolerance levels, improved meat quality with unaffected consumer acceptance levels of the meat observed in the study, from broilers fed with neem and spirulina either alone or in combinationsș this points out that neem at 0.2% level can be used in poultry diets instead of antibiotic growth promoters (AGP)