Effects of supplementation of oregano and rosemary essential oils to broiler rations on performance and meat quality

This study aimed to determine the effect of individual (300 ppm) and combined (300, 400 ppm) oregano and rosemary volatile oil supplementation to broiler performance, oxidation and sensory attributes of broiler meat. A total of 450 Ross 308 male chicks were divided into 5 groups: control, oregano, rosemary, oregano and rosemary mix-1 and oregano and rosemary mix-2, with 9 chicks of 10 replications. Except control, other groups' feeds were supplemented with volatile oils of 300 ppm oregano, 300 ppm rosemary, 300 ppm oregano and rosemary mix (150+150), and 400 ppm oregano and rosemary mix (200+200), respectively. On 42nd day, malondialdehyde levels were measured in breast and thigh muscles of slaughtered chickens, before and after 7-8 day storage at +4˚C. Meat sensory attributes were investigated in a tasting panel. No significant difference in live weight, live weight gain, feed consumption, and feed conversion ratio on days 1, 7, 14, 28, and 35 was observed. On 21 st day, rosemary group's live weight was higher than mix-300 and mix-400 groups. At trial's end, no significant difference was determined in feed consumption, carcass yield, sensory attributes of breast and thigh muscles. On 42nd day, rosemary and mix-400 groups' live weight, and mix-400 group's live weight gain was found higher than control. Mix-400 group's feed conversion ratio was better than control. There was no significant difference between breast and thigh muscles' malondialdehyde levels before +4˚C storage. Malondialdehyde levels were lower in rosemary and mix-400 groups compared to control on the 7-8 days of storage.