Abstract

Background:
Medicinal herbs and other unconventional feed additives are increasingly being incorporated into poultry nutrition strategies. Although originally investigated as alternatives to antibiotics, their application has expanded in response to heightened consumer awareness, rising demand for healthy and organic animal products, and sustainability concerns within animal production systems.

Aim:
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of rosella and anise powder supplementation on growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and immune response in Japanese quails during the growing period.

Methods:
A total of 210 unsexed Japanese quail chicks were randomly assigned to seven experimental treatments: a control group fed the basal diet; 0.5% rosella supplementation (R05); 1% rosella supplementation (R1); 0.5% anise supplementation (A05); 1% anise supplementation (A1); 0.5% rosella + 0.5% anise supplementation (R05A05); and 1% rosella + 1% anise supplementation (R1A1). Each treatment consisted of three replicates, with 10 chicks per replicate. Feed and water were provided ad libitum throughout the experimental period, which spanned from days 14 to 42 of age.

Results:
Quails fed diets supplemented with 0.5% or 1% rosella or 1% anise exhibited significantly higher final body weight and body weight gain than the control group. In contrast, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were not affected by the treatments. Similarly, the relative weights of carcasses and internal organs, as well as meat quality traits, were not affected by the addition of rosella or anise to the diet. The immune response, including the blood protein profile, humoral immunity, and cellular immunity, was significantly enhanced in quails that received supplemented experimental treatments.

Conclusion:
Adding rosella and anise to Japanese quail diets may improve overall productivity and strengthen the immune response.

Key words: Anise and rosella; Carcass quality; Feed additives; Immunity; Poultry nutrition.