Administration of green tea and pomegranate extract in drinking water on broiler growth performance, total blood antioxidant activity and gut microbiota

The plant-derived products as green tea extracts have been extensively used in poultry nutrition due to their antioxidant, anti-viral and anticoccidial properties. Furthermore, they have the capacity to lower cholesterol and reduce lipid peroxide level in plasma and meat, and improve the growth performance and meat quality of broiler. The pomegranate peel extract has also been showed pharmacological, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticoccidial properties. The combination of green tea and pomegranate extract might be able to modulate intestinal microflora. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the combination of natural extract of pomegranate and green tea extract on growth performances, blood antioxidant status and gut microbiota in broiler chicks. A completely randomised block design with two experimental treatments (CTR and plant extracts, PE) was carried out. Each treatment group included 240 male birds allotted in 12 pens (replicates). PE were supplemented through drinking water at the dosages of 0.2mL/L at days 0–4, 10–11, 20–21 and 45–46. During the trial, birds weight and pen feed intake were measured. At slaughtering (day 50), blood samples and caeca content were collected from one broiler per pen. Moreover, carcase and breast percentage were also evaluated. Blood total antiradical activity was measured by KRL test. 16S amplicon sequencing for microbial community profiling was performed on caeca content. Feed conversion ratio was significantly affected by PE treatment from 21 to 50 days (p=.029). No other growth and slaughter parameters were affected. Total antioxidant activity on blood (p=.009) and red blood cells (p=.02) were higher in PE group. Microbial profiling analysis showed no difference in richness and diversity of caeca bacterial composition between groups. Microbiome analysis indicates a slight increase in treated group of beneficial bacteria such as Rikenellaceae, Ruminococcaceae, Lactobacillaceae that represent the most abundant families found in the gut environment and have been associated with the maintenance of gut health. The obtained results indicate that administration of pomegranate and green tea extracts through drinking water is able to ameliorate the total blood antioxidant activity and modulate gut intestinal health