The Combination Use of Postbiotics and Essential Oils Improved Growth Performance and Meat Quality of Broiler

In the post-antibiotic era, postbiotics and phytogenic additives such as essential oils compounds combination (PBEO) has emerged as a sustainable alternative to enhance poultry productivity. This study investigated the synergistic effects of this novel combination PBEO on broiler growth performance, meat quality and intestinal health. Two hundred and eighty-eight (n = 288) one-day-old male Arbor Acres (AA) broilers were randomly divided into three groups: control group (Basal, basal diet), two experimental groups (0.02% PBEO and 0.04% PBEO, 0.02% or 0.04% PBEO added on top of basal diet, respectively). Each group consisted of eight replicates with twelve birds per replicate. Dietary supplementation with 0.02% PBEO significantly improved the growth performance of broiler chickens by increasing body weight at day 41 (2920.6 g vs. 2786.3 g) and average daily gain during days 1–41 (70.2 g vs. 66.9 g) compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Regarding meat quality, muscle pH was significantly higher in groups fed 0.02% PBEO (6.77) or 0.04% PBEO (6.68) compared to the control (6.50) (p < 0.05). GSH content in breast meat showed a significant increase in the 0.04% group (84.19 µmol/gprot) compared to the control (40.61 µmol/gprot) (p < 0.05). Additionally, muscle fiber diameter (MFD) was significantly reduced in both the 0.02% group (68.77 µm) and 0.04% group (79.68 µm) compared to the control group (92.12 µm) (p < 0.05). Dietary PBEO boosts broiler growth by increasing body weight and average daily gain. The improvements in meat quality were marked by higher muscle pH, increased antioxidant capacity (GSH) and reduced muscle fiber diameter.