Olive pomace for the feeding of commercial poultry: effects on performance, meat and eggs quality, haematological parameters, microbiota and immunity

SUMMARY

The present study aims to gather the research carried out worldwide in the last two decades with the use of olive pomace in the diet of broilers, laying hens and laying quails to highlight the nutritional importance of such biomass and its effective use in poultry nutrition. The olive pomace from the extraction of olive oil has important chemical properties from a nutritional standpoint such as a high concentration of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. In addition, it can be a significant source of fatty acids (12–22%), minerals and phenolic compounds. Thus, combining the use of olive pomace and seeking to adapt it to animal feed in a sustainable way, research has been carried out around the world with the use of olive pomace in the diet of commercial birds. The results presented in different studies demonstrate that the inclusion of up to 10% of olive pomace in the diet of broiler chickens, commercial laying hens and Japanese quails does not negatively affect the performance of the birds and improves the quality of meat, such as odour and flavour. Additionally, an increase in the egg weight and yolk index has been observed when olive pomace is supplied up to 9% in diets. The inclusion of olive pomace can also alter the lipid profile of the chicken meat and egg yolk, increasing the series of monounsaturated fatty acids and reducing the saturated ones. Haematological parameters of the different categories of birds do not change regarding albumins, globulins, total proteins, haematocrit, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) with up to 20% olive pomace in the diet. The gut microbiota of birds that receive olive pomace in their feed is altered and broilers have better antibody titres for Infectious Bronchitis and Gumboro.

KEYWORDS:

• Egg quality
• meat quality
• olive pomace
• poultry feed
• productive performance

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES).

Notes on contributors

C. O. de Oliveira

C. O. de Oliveira is Graduate in Animal Science, Master of Science and Doctoral student in nutrition of non-ruminants.

A. A. P. Roll

A. A. P. Roll is a Veterinarian, Doctor in Sciences.

F. M. Medeiros Gonçalves

F. M. Gonaçalves is a Veterinarian, Doctor in science and adjunct professor at the Federal University of Pelotas.

D. C. N. Lopes

D. C. N. Lopes is a Veterinarian, doctor of sciences and adjunct professor at the Federal University of Pelotas.

E. G. Xavier

E. G. Xavier is a Agronomist, PhD in Animal Sciences (University of Kentucky) and Full Professor at the University of Pelotas.