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Effects of Forsythia suspensa Extract on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, and Antioxidant Activities in Broiler Chickens Under High Ambient Temperature¹

L. Wang^*, X. L. Piao, S. W. Kim^*,, X. S. Piao^*,2, Y. B. Shen^* and H. S. Lee

^* China Agricultural University, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Beijing 100094, China; China Minority Traditional Medicine Center, Central University for Nationalities, Beijing 100081, China; Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695; and National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service, Anyang 430-824, Korea

² Corresponding author: piaoxsh{at}mafic.ac.cn

A 42-d trial was conducted with 252 broiler chickens (d 1 of age, 38.8 ± 1.3 g of BW) to determine the effects of Forsythia suspensa extract on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and antioxidant activities under high ambient temperature (32 ± 1°C). The feeding program consisted of a starter diet from d 1 to 21 of age and a finisher diet from d 22 to 42 of age. Dietary treatments included a negative control group (NC) fed a cornsoybean meal based diet without vitamin C or Forsythia suspensa extract, a positive control group fed a diet with 200 mg of vitamin C/kg, and a test group (FS) fed with 100 mg of Forsythia suspensa extract/kg. There were 14 cages per treatment and 6 birds per cage during the study. Birds had free access to diets and water during the entire period. Body weight and feed intake were measured at d 21 and 42. Blood and tissue samples were collected at d 21 and 42 for assay of antioxidant indices. Growth performance did not differ among treatment groups during the starter period. In the finisher phase, birds in FS had greater (P < 0.05) average daily gain, feed conversion, and apparent digestibility of energy, CP, calcium, and phosphorus than birds in NC. Furthermore, birds in FS had greater (P < 0.05) total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase activity and lower (P < 0.05) malondialdehyde activity in the serum than birds in NC. The FS birds had greater (P < 0.05) muscle superoxide dismutase activity and lower (P < 0.05) malondialdehyde than NC birds. During the entire period, hepatic superoxide dismutase activity of FS birds was greater (P < 0.05) than that of NC birds. Dietary supplementation with Forsythia suspensa extract can enhance nutrient digestibility and growth performance possibly by reducing oxidative stress of broiler chickens under high ambient temperatures.

Key Words: Forsythia suspensa • performance • nutrient digestibility • antioxidant • broiler

¹ This investigation was financially supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China (2006 BAD12B05-10; Nyhyzx07-034), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC 30671522), and National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service of Korea.