Abstract

This study was done to evaluate the effects of several different dietary antioxidantsin broiler diets. The antioxidants tested in the study were organic selenium, vitamin E and garlic powder. Effects of antioxidants on broiler performance were measured according to parameters of abdominal fat deposition, liver lipid concentration and performance. The experiment was done in a completely randomized design with 192 day-old male chicks (Ross 308) randomly distributed in 4 groups of dietary treatments, each with 3 replicates and 16 chicks/pen. Diets tested on the chicks were as follows; a control diet, organic selenium (Sel-Plex®), vitamin E (Alpha-tocopherol acetate®) and garlic powder.Data on performance were recorded at the end of each week for each replicate pen. On day 42, three broilers from each pen were killed and dissected to evaluate abdominal fat deposits. Lipids were extracted from the liver using chloroform/methanol. The results indicated significant (p<0.05) reductions in abdominal fat deposition of chicken carcasses that were subjected to diets with garlic powder supplement. Vitamin E indicated significant (p<0.05) reduction in abdominal fat content and enhanced carcass mass of broilers but organic selenium had no significant effect on abdominal fat or broiler performance.