Effects of glucosinolates and their hydrolysis products on energy balances and performance parameters and histological parameters in broiler chicken diets

Abstract

Glucosinolates are important bioactive molecules and widely found in Brassicaceae species (cress, brussels sprouts, mustard, broccoli, kale etc.). Depending on the amount of these vegetables consumed, both positive and negative metabolic effects from glucosinolate metabolites may occur. The aims of this study were to; investigate inexpensive animal food sources that both increases weight gain and provides enhanced performance parameters without adversely affecting the animal’s health and metabolism; to evaluate dose adjustment of food containing glucosinolates in animals; and to evaluate changes in the biochemical and performance status of chickens on these glucosinolate containing diets. A total of 624 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler line chicks were divided into one control and three treatment groups. Cress seed (Lepidium sativum) was added 0.05% for the first treatment groups (Group 1, 10 g/kg), 0.10% for the second treatment groups (Group 2, 20 g/kg) and 0.15% for the last treatment groups (Group 3, 30 g/kg) to the diet. Serum samples were evaluated for serum glucose, adiponectin, leptin, growth hormone, estradiol and cortisol levels. Performance parameters investigated included feed intake, live body weight and feed conversion ratio. . The villus length, number of goblet cells, crypt depth were determined for histological analyses. According to histological results, villus length was significant at p < 0.05 level between control and group 1 and at p < 0.001 level with groups 2 and 3 at 21 days. The depth of the crypts belonging to the control and experimental groups was not significant between the control group and the group 1 when the statistic was evaluated on the 21st day, whereas between the control group and the group 2, p < 0.05 and p < 0.01; statistical significance was found at p < 0.001 level between group 3 and control group. The results showed that dietary glucosinolate supplementation as feed additive (10, 20 and 30 g/kg) did not significantly improve the dietary performance, or carcass parameters of broiler chickens. Feed intake was the highest in group 2 (20 g/kg), female live weight was the highest in group 2 (20 g/kg) and 3 (30 g/kg). In conclusion, the rates of the cress seed (0.05, 0.10 and 0.15%) that contain glucotropaeolin were not affected for feed additive on performance (especially live weight and live weight gain) and carcass parameters.