Effects of sage infusion in drinking water on performance, intestinal histomorphology and meat quality

This study was conducted to determine the effects of different levels of sage (Salvia officinalis) infusion added to the drinking water of Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) on growth performance, internal organ development, cecal microbiota, intestinal histology, and certain meat quality traits. For this purpose, 160 seven-day-old quail chicks were randomly divided into four groups, each consisting of four replicates. The treatment groups received sage infusion daily in their drinking water at levels of 0% (control), 25%, 50%, and 75%, respectively. No feed additives were included in the diet, and both feed and water were provided ad libitum. At the end of the trial, the addition of sage infusion to drinking water showed no statistically significant differences among the groups in terms of final body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, or feed conversion ratio (P>0.05). Similarly, no effects were observed on carcass yield or the color values of breast and thigh meat. However, breast meat pH values were significantly affected by the treatment groups (P<0.05). Additionally, sage infusion had a notable effect on intestinal histomorphology, improving parameters such as villus height, crypt depth, and villus-to-crypt ratio. The infusion also had a suppressive effect on the growth of harmful bacteria in the cecal microbiota, indicating its antimicrobial potential. In terms of meat quality, breast meat samples from the treatment groups showed slower malondialdehyde (MDA) formation during different storage periods compared to the control group. Based on the results, the addition of sage infusion to drinking water did not improve growth performance statistically but positively influenced intestinal health and reduced lipid oxidation over time. These findings suggest that sage infusion has the potential to be used as a natural additive in poultry nutrition. Key Words: Quail, Sage, Infusion, Feed additive, Medicinal and aromatic plants