Abstract:

[Objective] This study was conducted to assess the effects of different dosages of total flavonoids from wild apricot （TFWA） on slaughter performance of Sanhuang broiler chickens. [Method] Using a single factor experimental design, a total of 96 1-day-old female Sanhuang broiler chickens were randomly assigned into 4 groups with 24 broilers in each group. Science the 14 days of age, broiler chickens in the low, medium and high dosage groups were administrated with 50, 100 and 200 mg/（kg·BW·d） of TFWA by oral gavage, respectively, while those in the control group were given physiological saline. The experiment lasted for 42 days. At the 28, 35 and 42 days of age, 8 broiler chickens from each group were chosen and slaughtered, respectively, and the indexes associated with slaughter performance of the broilers with the same days of age among different groups were determined and statistically compared. [Result] High dosage of TFWA significantly or extremely significantly （P<0.05 or P<0.01） increased the pre-slaughter weights of broiler chickens aged 28, 35 and 42 days, and medium dosage of TFWA extremely significantly （P<0.01） increased the pre-slaughter weights of 35-day-old broiler chickens. High dosage of TFWA significantly （P<0.05） and extremely significantly （P<0.01） improved the slaughter rate of broiler chickens aged 35 and 42 days, respectively. Medium and high dosages of TFWA extremely significantly （P<0.01） elevated the percentage of eviscerated yield with giblet of 28-day-old broiler chickens. Low dosage of TFWA extremely significantly （P<0.01） and significantly （P<0.05） increased the percentage of eviscerated yield of broiler chickens aged 28 and 35 days, respectively. Medium dosage of TFWA extremely significantly （P<0.01） boosted the percentage of eviscerated yield of 35-day-old broiler chickens. Low, medium and high dosages of TFWA extremely significantly （P<0.01） increased the percentage of eviscerated yield of 42-day-old broiler chickens. Low, medium and high dosages of TFWA significantly or extremely significantly （P<0.05 or P<0.01） reduced the subcutaneous fat thickness of broiler chickens aged 35 and 42 days. High dosage of TFWA significantly （P<0.05） and extremely significantly （P<0.01） decreased the intermuscular fat width of broiler chickens aged 28 and 35 days, respectively. Low, medium and high dosages of TFWA extremely significantly （P<0.01） reduced the intermuscular fat width of 42-day-old broiler chickens. Low dosage of TFWA significantly （P<0.05） decreased the abdominal fat rate of broiler chickens aged 28 and 42 days. Medium dosage of TFWA significantly （P<0.05) reduced the abdominal fat rate of broiler chickens aged 28, 35 and 42 days. High dosage of TFWA extremely significantly （P<0.01） decreased the abdominal fat rate of 42-day-old broiler chickens. High dosage of TFWA significantly or extremely significantly （P<0.05 or P<0.01） elevated the percentage of breast meat of broiler chickens aged 35 and 42 days, and significantly or extremely significantly （P<0.05 or P<0.01） increased the percentage of leg meat of broiler chickens aged 28, 35 and 42 days. [Conclusion] Oral gavage of different dosages of TFWA was capable of improving the slaughter performance of Sanhuang broiler chickens.

Key words: total flavonoids from wild apricot, broiler chickens, slaughter performance