Study On The Effects Of Alfalfa Saponins And Emodin On Growth Performance, Meat Quality And Cholesterol Metabolism Of Broilers

This paper have studied on the effect of adding different levels alfalfa saponins and emodin in the diets of broilers on broiler's growth performance, meat quality,antioxidant function,immune function and lipid metabolism and investigated the effect of alfalfa saponins and emodin on the cholesterol metabolism.The test results were as follows.Exp.1:In this study, 320 Arbor Acres(AA) broilers of 1 day-old were randomly divided into 4 treatments with five replicates and 16 per replicate.The experiment last 49 days.The control group were fed basal diet. The test group were all fed with the basal diets added with 0.02% alfalfa saponins during the stage from 0 to3 weeks,but the test group were separately fed with the basal diets added with 0.04%,0.08% and 0.12% alfalfa saponins from 4 week age to 7 week age.The results showed that:(1)Alfalfa saPonins had no significant effects on the growth performance of broilers which could be inhibited when added with 0.12% alfalfa saponins.(2)Alfalfa saponins could improve the meat quality and increase its commodity value .(3)Adding alfalfa saponins could improve the antioxidation function of broilers.Alfalfa saponins could enhance the SOD activities and decrease the contents of MDA in the bresat and thigh muscle.Adding alfalfa saponins could improve immune function.(4)Alfalfa saponins could effectively improve lipid metabolism,suppress the synthesis of cholesterol and block enterohepatic circulation of bile acids.This trial suggested that the optimum content of alfalfa saponins in the diets of broilers is 0.08%.ExP.2:In this study, 320 Arbor Acres(AA) broilers of 1 day-old were randomly divided into 4 treatments with five replicates and 16 Per replicates. The experiment last 49 days.The control group were fed basal diet. The test group were all fed with the basal diets added with 50mg/kg emodin during the stage from 0 to3 weeks, but the test group were separately fed with the basal diets added with 100mg/kg,200mg/kg and 400mg/kg emodin from 4 week age to 7 week age.The results showed that:(1)Emodin had no significant effects on the production performance of briolers,but the test group all increaseed broiler's weight and the feed efficiency was increased at first and decreased subsequently. (2)Emodin could improve the meat quality,the meat flavor and its commodity value of broilers.(3)Adding emodin could improve the antioxidation function of broilers and inhibit lipid peroxidization and superoxide anion production.Emodin could enhance the SOD activities and decrease the contents of MDA in the bresat and thigh muscle.Emodin could improve the immunity ability of broilers.(4)Emodin could improve lipid metabolism, decrease the contents of TC in serum and bresat and thigh muscle and suppress the expressions of cholesterol.Emodin could exceedingly increase the excretion of bile acids.This trial suggested that the optimum content of emodin in the diets of broilers is 200 mg/kg.