This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with different levels of sage (Salvia officinalis L.) leaf powder on growth performance, internal organ development, cecal microbiota, intestinal histomorphology, meat quality characteristics, and breast meat malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in broiler chickens. A total of 160 one-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks of uniform health status and body weight were randomly allocated to four treatment groups, each consisting of four replicates with 10 birds per replicate. The experimental diets were formulated by supplementing the basal diet with 0, 2, 4, or 8 g/kg of sage leaf powder. The trial was conducted for 21 days in four-tier battery cages under controlled environmental conditions, with feed and water supplied ad libitum. At the end of the experiment, dietary inclusion of sage leaf powder at 2 g/kg significantly improved daily body weight gain (p < 0.05), while feed intake and feed conversion ratio were not affected (p > 0.05). No significant differences were detected among the treatment groups in carcass traits, meat pH, or color parameters. However, marked improvements were observed in intestinal histomorphology. In addition, breast meat samples from birds receiving sage-supplemented diets displayed slightly lower MDA concentrations during storage compared to the control group. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with sage leaf powder improved growth performance, enhanced intestinal health, and demonstrated potential as a natural feed additive for broiler nutrition; however, it did not exert a statistically significant effect on lipid oxidation under the conditions of this study.

This study investigated the effects of dietary black cumin seed meal (BCSM) supplementation on growth performance, carcass traits, intestinal histomorphology, cecal microbiota, meat quality, and breast meat malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in Japanese quail. A total of 200 one-week-old quail were randomly allocated to four dietary treatments containing 0, 5, 10, or 20 g/kg BCSM for a 35-day experimental period, with five replicates per treatment. Dietary BCSM supplementation did not significantly affect body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, or conversion ratio (p > 0.05). However, carcass weight was significantly increased in birds fed 20 g/kg BCSM (p < 0.05), while carcass yield and relative internal organ weight remained unchanged. Intestinal histomorphology was markedly influenced by dietary treatments (p < 0.05), with improved villus height and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio in the jejunum and ileum of BCSM-fed birds. In addition, cecal microbiota analysis revealed a dose-dependent increase in Lactobacillus spp. (p < 0.05), whereas Escherichia coli counts were numerically reduced but not statistically affected (p > 0.05). Meat quality evaluation showed that BCSM supplementation significantly increased breast meat lightness (L*) and water-holding capacity and reduced post-slaughter pH values (p < 0.05). Lipid oxidation, as assessed by malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations, was observed to be significantly lower in breast meat during refrigerated storage, suggesting a potential improvement in oxidative stability and a possible contribution to extended shelf life (p < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary inclusion of black cumin seed meal, particularly at 20 g/kg, positively modulated intestinal health, cecal microbiota composition, and meat oxidative stability without compromising growth performance. Owing to its high nutritional value and rich bioactive compound profile, BCSM can be considered a functional and sustainable feed ingredient for quail nutrition.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of supplementing quail diets with 0.5% thyme, sage, mint, and oregano powder on nutritional performance. A total of 400 one-day-old quail chicks, standardized for live weight, were randomly assigned to five treatment groups with four replicates per group (20 chicks per replicate). The groups were allocated to treatments as C—control, T—thyme, S—sage, M—mint, and O—oregano. The experiment lasted for 35 days. Chicks were reared in cages sized 70 × 90 × 60 cm, with a 10 cm layer of wood shavings on the ground. Feed and water were provided ad libitum. At the end of the experiment, live weight gain and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) colonization in ceca were significantly higher in the T (thyme) and O (oregano) groups compared to the C, S and M groups (p < 0.05). Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the breast meat were lower in the S, M and O groups compared to the C group. Jejunal villi length was significantly greater in the S and O groups compared to the others (p < 0.05). In the ileum, villi height was higher in the T group than in the other groups (p < 0.05). The villi height/crypt depth ratio in the jejunum was significantly higher in the T and O groups compared to the C group (p < 0.05), whereas in the ileum, this ratio was lower in the S group than in the other groups. Mucin-2 level in the ileum was significantly reduced in the S, M and O groups compared to the C group (p < 0.05) and was similar between T and C. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with vegetative powder of thyme and oregano can be used to improve growth, intestinal villi morphology and LAB colonization in quails. Also, low-dose herbal powder supplementation can be used to suppress MDA formation in the breast meat stored at 4 °C for 3 days.