![Sample our Environment & Agriculture journals, sign in here to start your access, latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5934/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Environment-Agriculture.jpg"})
Abstract
1. The herb Creeping Thistle, Cirsium arvense (C. arvense), has been used in folk medicine due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
2. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary C. arvense extract supplementation on performance, egg quality, nutrient digestibility and antioxidant status in quail.
3. Quails (n = 150) were allocated randomly to one of the three dietary treatments: basal diet and basal diet enriched with 100 and 200 mg C. arvense extract per kg diet.
4. Dietary enrichment with C. arvense extract altered neither performance and egg quality parameters nor nutrient digestibility. Although there were no changes in concentrations of vitamin A and E in serum, liver and egg yolk, supplemental C. arvense extract decreased MDA concentrations in serum, liver and egg yolk by 39.3, 40.5 and 51.5%, respectively, in a dose-response manner. As supplemental C. arvense extract increased to 200 mg/kg, the activity of hepatic SOD, CAT and GSH-Px increased by 14.5, 17.4 and 35.5%, respectively.
5. Addition of C. arvense extract up to 200 mg to per kg diet enhanced antioxidant status in laying quail and their eggs, without affecting performance and other egg quality parameters.
6. Future studies are needed to elucidate the mechanism behind the antioxidant effects of C. arvense extract.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors thank the Veterinary Control and Research, Institute of Ministry of Agriculture, Elazig, Turkey for providing the research facility and Deva Kanatli Hayvan Uretim Paz. Tic. Inc., Elazig, Turkey for donating quails. This work was supported by a Medical University in Białystok (Grant No. 3-16948F). This work was also supported in part by the Turkish Academy of Sciences. The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.