The impact of jujube (ziziphus jujuba mill.) fruit at various levels in broiler mixed diets on performance, meat quality, antioxidant and selected blood parameters

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of varying amounts of jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) fruit added to mixed feed on the performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, antioxidant levels, and selected blood parameters of broiler chickens. A total of 160 male Ross-308 broiler chickens were used, with 40 in each group. The groups were divided into four subgroups, each containing 10 broiler chickens. The research groups consisted of a control group without jujube fruit, and three experimental groups: H-0.5 (0.5 % jujube fruit), H-1 (1 % jujube fruit), and H-2 (2 % jujube fruit). On the 42nd day of the experiment, the H-1 group showed the best results in terms of body weight (P<0.01), daily body weight gain (P<0.05), daily feed intake (P<0.01), and feed conversion ratio (P<0.05). The group H-1 had the highest thigh and heart weights, whereas the group H-2 had the lowest hot carcass, breast, back-neck weights, and carcass yield (P<0.05). The control group had the highest levels of blood glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, VLDL cholesterol, ALT, AST, and uric acid, and the lowest level of creatine (P<0.05). The group with the lowest MDA level was H-2 (P<0.001), while the groups with the highest GSH (P<0.01) and CAT (P<0.05) levels were H-1 and H-2. The control group had the lowest levels of PUFA, Ω-6, and Ω-3 (P<0.05), as well as the highest Ω-6/Ω-3 ratio. The control group also had the lowest values for villus height and crypt depth, and the highest villus height/crypt depth ratio (P<0.001). Mortality rates were similar across all groups (P>0.05). As a result, it was concluded that jujube fruit, which is mainly used for its antioxidant properties, can be used in poultry compound feeds especially at 1% level due to its positive effects on performance, blood parameters, antioxidant paranmeters, thigh muscle fatty acid level and intestinal morphology. Keywords: Jujube fruit, broilers, performance, fatty acids, antioxidant parameters, blood parameters.