Meat Quality of Noiler Chicken as Influenced by Dietary Natural Antioxidants Supplementations

Some food spices and herbs with antioxidant properties have been identified as phyto-additives, of which roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa), black pepper (Piper nigrum L), and green tea (Camellia sinesis) are important. This study aimed to assess the effect of natural antioxidants and its inclusion levels on performance and meat quality of Noiler chickens. A total of 270 one-day-old noiler chickens were distributed into nine groups, with 3 replicates of 10 birds per replicate. They were fed with basal diet (control 0 g/kg), basal diet + roselle, black pepper, green tea and combine (roselle + black pepper + green tea) at 0.5 g/kg and 1.0g /kg respectively. At the end of twelve (12) weeks, nine birds per treatments were sacrificed, scalded manually and dissected; blood samples were collected for heamatology and serum parameters. Data were also collected on carcass characteristics, primal cuts, internal organ, physical properties, lipid profile, lipid peroxidation and organoleptic properties. Data generated were subjected to Analysis of variance using the General Linear Model for factorial within a completely randomized design. The natural antioxidants significantly (p<0.05) influence the carcass characteristics, primal cut and internal organs of the birds. Birds fed green tea had significantly (P<0.05) low cooking loss when compared with treatment groups. There was no significance difference (P>0.05) in WBC, RBC, Hb and Haematocrit of the experimental birds. The serum parameters were also not significantly influenced (P<0.05). The CHO of the birds fed control, roselle and black pepper were significantly (p<0.05) higher compared to birds in other treatments. The birds fed diets with green tea and roselle had significantly (P<0.05) low HDL and birds fed black pepper had reduced level of LDL and MDA when compared to other treatments. Chicken meat from roselle and combine fed chickens has the most accepted flavour with inclusion level at 1.0g/kg compare to other dietary treatment. Meat from all the dietary treatment was generally accepted by the taste panellist. It therefore, means that natural antioxidants most importantly black pepper inclusion in noiler chicken’s feed improved the carcass characteristics and had no deleterious effect and should be included in their feed at 1.0g/kg.