Effects of Dietary Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) Leaf Powder on Meat Quality of Broiler

Abstract

The experiment was carried out in the Teaching and Research Farm of the Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria, to determine the effects of dietary oregano leaf powder on meat quality of broiler meat. The diets were supplemented with oregano leaf powder at 15g/kg, 20g/kg, 25g/kg and 0g/kg (control group), represented as TI, T2, T3 and T4, respectively, dietary oregano leaf powder did not affect muscle pH a* values of broiler meat (P>0.05). However, oregano leaf powder significantly affected b* value, water holding capacity, drip and cooking losses. Higher inclusion level (25g) of oregano leaf powder improves meat quality parameters while supplementation of up to 15g did not affect most of the meat quality parameters. The study recommended 25g inclusion levels of oregano leaf powder due to the positive effects on meat quality parameters of broiler chicken meat. Further studies on the mode of action of oregano leaf powder using different species of poultry on meat quality may be commercially interesting.