Effects of shallot (Allium ascalonicum) powder supplementation on carcass quality and lipid peroxidation in broiler chickens under heat stress conditions

This study investigated the effects of shallot powder (SP) supplementation on oxidative stress and carcass characteristics in broiler chickens under both normal and heat stress (HS) conditions. A complete randomized design was used to allocate 120 one-day-old Arbor Acre chicks into six groups (4 replicates of 5 broiler chickens), over a duration of 42 days: T1 (control, basal diet), T2 (basal diet + HS), T3 (2 g/kg SP), T4 (4 g/kg SP), T5 (2 g/kg SP + HS), and T6 (4 g/kg SP + HS). Malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations were assessed on days 21, 28, 35, and 42. On day 42, the carcass weight, component weight, and abdominal fat content were assessed. During the trial, SP administration markedly decreased MDA levels, with T4 exhibiting the lowest values. Compared with T2, T6 resulted in significantly lower MDA levels (P = 0.000), indicating an antioxidant effect under heat stress. SP enhanced carcass attributes. Compared with T2, T4 and T6 presented markedly elevated hot carcass weights (2,072.5±19.6 g and 2,033.8±20.9 g, respectively) (P = 0.000, P = 0.000). The SP-supplemented groups presented increased weights of the breast, drumstick, thigh, and wing cuts, particularly at T4 and T6. Furthermore, SP reduced abdominal fat, with the lowest levels observed at T4 (3.12±0.32%) and T6 (3.53±0.41%). In conclusion, 4 g/kg shallot powder diminishes oxidative stress and enhances carcass quality, particularly at elevated temperatures. The potential of this natural antioxidant feed additive to increase the performance of heat-stressed broilers is emphasized.