Effect of dietary fat source and Satureja Khuzistanica essential oils on performance, blood lipid constituents, cholesterol content and lipid stability of meat in broiler chicken under heat stress

This study was carried out to examine the effect of supplementation of canola and fish oils (5% fish oil, 3% fish oil 2% canola oil, 2% fish oil 3% canola oil and 5% canola oil) and Satureja khuzistanica essential oils (SkEO) (0 and 400 mg/kg), into a basal diet on productive performance, meat cholesterol, lipid stability and certain blood lipid components in broiler chickens raised under normal and heat stress conditions during day 22 to 42 of age. The experiment was conducted in a 4×2×2 factorial expriment using 640 one-day-old Ross 308 chicks in a completely randomised blocks design with 5 replicates of 8 birds in each replication. Oil source significantly decreased FCR, serum LDL and cholesterol content in thigh and breast muscles at day 42 of age. Inclusion of 400 mg/kg SkEO in diet significantly increased daily weight gain and decreased cholesterol content and TBARS concentration in thigh and breast muscles in heat stressed chicks. Heat stress condition significantly decreased FCR and increased TBARS as well as cholesterol content in breast muscle and serum cholesterol concentration during day 22 to 42 of age. It was concluded that supplementation of 400 mg/kg SkEO and canola oil into diet could have a positive effect on productive performance and reduce the meat and serum cholesterol concentration in broiler chicken.