Influence of fermentation concentrate of Hericium caput-medusae (Bull.:Fr.) Pers. on performance, antioxidant status, and meat quality in broilers

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of supplementation with the fermentation concentrate of Hericium caput-medusae (Bull.:Fr.) Pers. (HFC) on growth performance, antioxidant status, and meat quality of broilers. A total of 600 female Arbor Acres broilers were randomly divided into five dietary treatments (20 broilers per pen with 6 pens per treatment): CON (basal diet), ANT (basal diet supplemented with 5 mg flavomycin/kg diet) and HFC (basal diet supplemented with 6, 12 and18 g HFC/kg diets). The experiment lasted for 6 weeks. Performance parameters were recorded on days 21 and 42, and the other response criteria on day 42. The average daily feed intake was not affected by HFC inclusion during the entire experimental period. Incorporation of dried HFC in chicken diet improved the daily gain compared with the control and ANT treatments, and the average daily gain increased (P<0.001) quadratically when the HFC levels increased. The superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) values increased (P<0.05) quadratically, while the malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the serum, liver, and breast muscle of broilers decreased (P<0.001) quadratically with the increasing of dietary HFC level. The pH24 h value of the breast muscle increased (P<0.001) quadratically, while the drip loss and cooking loss decreased (P<0.01) quadratically when the HFC levels increased. Dietary supplementation with HFC had no significant effects on shear force of broilers. The L* value decreased (P<0.01) quadratically, while the a* and b* values of the breast muscle increased (P<0.01) quadratically when the HFC levels increased. These results demonstrate that HFC has promising antioxidant potential to enhance oxidative status and meat quality of broiler chickens.