Effect of supplementing moringa (Moringa oleifera) leaf meal and pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel meal on performance, carcass attributes, immune and antioxidant responses in broiler chickens

An experiment was conducted to study the benefits of dietary supplementation of moringa (Moringa oleifera) leaf meal (MLM) and pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel meal (PPM) on the performance, carcass attributes, immune and antioxidant responses in commercial broiler chickens during 1-42 days of age. In total, 450 Cobb-400 broiler male chicks raised in wire-floor stainless-steel battery brooder pens in an open-side poultry house were divided into five experimental groups with 18 replicates of five chicks each and fed a standard control diet (CD) and the test diets supplemented with MLM (500 and 1000 mg/kg) or PPM (250 and 500 mg/kg), each at two different concentrations. Bodyweight gain, feed conversion efficiency and carcass attributes were not affected (P > 0.05). The cell-mediated immune response to phytohaemagglutinin phosphate was not influenced (P > 0.05), but the antibody titre against Newcastle disease (ND) vaccine was significantly (P < 0.05) improved by supplementation of MLM or PPM in broiler diet at 42 days of age. However, at 21 days of age, the ND titre was similar in broilers fed CD and 500 mg/kg PPM fed group. Activities of glutathione reductase and super oxide dismutase in liver were not influenced (P > 0.05), while lipid peroxidation (LP) reduced significantly (P < 0.05) with the herbal additives. The LP in the PPM group was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than that in groups fed MLM. The activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) was significantly (P < 0.05) improved in the PPM group. Activities of antioxidant enzymes (super oxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, GSHPx) in spleen were not influenced (P > 0.05). The degree of LP in the 500 mg/kg PPM group was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than that in groups fed the CD. It is concluded that supplementation of MLM (500 and 1000 mg/kg) or PPM (250 and 500 mg/kg) in diets improved humoral immune response (against ND vaccine) at 42 days of age and reduced LP in liver in commercial broilers, without showing any negative effects on performance and carcass attributes. Supplementation of PPM (250 and 500 mg/kg) significantly improved the activity of GSHPx in the liver of broiler chickens.