Effects of garlic powder, vitamin E and antioxidant supplementation on broiler performance, carcass analysis and oxidative stability of meat

Two experiments were conducted to determine the AME content of garlic powder and to investigate its effect as well as vitamin E and Loxidan (as a commercial antioxidant) supplemented in the diet, on growth performance, carcass analysis and meat oxidative stability. In the first experiment, the AME was determined in Leghorn roosters fed diets containing 5, 10, 15 and 20% of garlic powder, whose value appeared to be 2370, 2300, 2090 and 2065 kcal/kg, respectively. In the second experiment, a 2×2×2 factorial arrangement including two levels of garlic powder (0 and 2 percent), two levels of vitamin E (0 and 200 mg/kg), and two levels of Loxidan (0 and 200 mg/kg) were employed in four replicates and twelve broiler chicks in each. According to results, growth performance, the ratio of eviscerated carcass, breast, thigh and abdominal fat to live weight were not affected by garlic powder, vitamin E and antioxidant as they were applied individually. However, applying garlic powder along with Loxidan resulted in better daily weight gain (P