The effect of feeding encapsulated microalgae on intestinal microflora, blood anti-oxidant status, and meat quality of broiler chickens

This study was done to evaluate the microencapsulated Spirulina platensis powder on intestinal microflora, blood anti-oxidant status, and meat quality of broiler chickens. A total of 160 one-day old Ross 308 broiler chicks (mixed-sex) were assigned to a completely randomized design with four treatments, 4 replicates, and 10 chicks in each replicate. Experimental treatments included basal diet (without additive), basal diet + 0.3, 0.6 or 0.9 % microencapsulated Spirulina powder. Feeding diet contained 0.9 % encapsulated Spirulina powder decreased Coliforms population in the ileum of broiler chickens (P<0.05). Feeding diets contained 0.6 or 0.9 encapsulated Spirulina powder increased ileal Lactobacillus population and the activity of super-oxide dismutase in blood of broiler chickens (P<0.05). Using encapsulated Spirulina powder at the level of 0.9% decreased malondialdehyde of the thigh meat at 30 days after slaughter (P<0.05). In general, results of the present study showed that feeding Spirulina micro-algae to broiler chickens at the level of 0.9 % led to improve the birds̓ anti-oxidant status, decrease the intestinal harmful microbes and oxidation of thigh meat of broiler chickens at 30 days after slaughter.