Productive and Physiological Performance of Broilers Fed Diets Containing Different Levels of Olive Pulp

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of using different levels of olive pulp in broiler diets on productive performance, carcass traits, protein fractions, lipids profile and antioxidant activity. One hundred eighty one-day old chicks were divided into four experimental groups (three replicates of 15 birds per treatment). Four experimental diets were used as follow: control, 5, 10, or 15% of olive pulp (OP) and fed up to five weeks of age. At 35 d of age, results showed that body weight and feed conversion ratio were declined (P < 0.05) in groups fed OP10 and OP15compared with the control group. Moreover, feed intake decreased in group OP15 compared to other groups. Abdominal fat was decreased (P < 0.05) in groups fed OP15 and OP10,, also gizzard weight was decreased in all treatment groups except the OP15 group. Thymus gland weight was increased in groups fed OP15 and OP10.Blood plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) content increased linearly with increasing OP levels, while total protein, albumin, and triglycerides content decreased linearly. OP increased malondialdehyde (MDA) level but had no effects on other antioxidant traits (total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). It seems that the addition of OP at 5% in broiler diets had the highest relative economic efficiency without detrimental effects on their biological performance. However, OP can be used safely in broiler diets up to 10%.