Dietary supplementation with Thymol reduces Japanese quail fear behaviour

LUNA, A.; LEMA ALBA, RC; ZYGADLO, J.A.; MARIN, R.H.; LABAQUE, M. C.

Louisville, Kentuky

Congreso; 2015 PSA Anual Meeting; 2015

Poultry Science Association

Additives are regularly supplemented in poultry feed to protect it from lipid deterioration during storage. Recently the interest for the use of natural phytochemicals in the diets of farmed animals has been increased. Thymol (THY) has been proved as an effective antioxidant compound improving broiler meat quality during storage with similar action to buthylhidroxytoluene (BHT), a synthetic antioxidant widely used in the industry. However, no studies have been performed to assess whether this compound can also protect poultry feed from lipid deterioration. Herein, we evaluated the usefulness of THY as a feed antioxidant and potential related consequences on fatty acid (FA) balance. Feed mash was assigned to 1 of 4 treatments, control (no additive), vehicle (ethanol 96%), 400 mg BHT /kg feed and 400 mg THY /kg feed. BHT was used as a positive control. Three replicates of each treatment were taken after 0, 30 and 60 days of storage at room temperature (23 ± 2°C) and relative humidity (40 ± 5%). After each period, feed samples were obtained and maintained at -20°C until peroxide value (PV), titratable acidity (TA) and FA assessments (Methyl esters/GC-MS). Repeated measures ANOVAs and Fisher tests were used to detect differences at P THY = BHT). Interestingly, THY and BHT samples stored during 60 d showed similar values to samples stored 0 d. Reductions on polyunsaturated FA were also observed through storage time with THY and BHT minimizing that effect. Results are consistent with similar THY and BHT protective effects on feedstuff lipid oxidation. While a slight increase was also observed in TA through storage time, no particular treatment effects were detected probably due to a low hydrolytic rancidity during storage. Findings suggest that THY could be a useful natural alternative to help sustain quality of poultry feed.