Black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) is a perennial and autogamous plant belonging to Umbelliferae family growing in Central Asia and Europe as a medicinal plant with seeds and oil used in treating several diseases and employed in food industry. Reduction of blood sugar and anti-cancer effects are the main therapeutic properties of black cumin oil. Moreover, hypoglycemia and hypocholesterolemia are two modern life-style diseases and feeding of black cumin may be useful to solve these conditions. The available literature reports that the addition of black cumin seeds improved the performance (3-5% in diet) and influenced positively (2-3% in diet) intestinal bacteria of broilers. Also, black cumin oil administered in diet (up to 3%) reduced the number of thrombocytes and neutrophils and increased lymphocytes in broilers. Black cumin seeds may also increase the content of unsaturated fatty acids and enhance antioxidant properties of poultry meat (up to 2% in diet). In laying hens, feeding of black cumin oil (1-2% of diet) increased egg mass and improved egg quality especially in early production phase, reducing also gut E. coli count. Dietary supplementation with black cumin (2% as seeds or 0.5% as oil) in quail diet improved the performance (growth and egg production) and reduced significantly the harmful bacteria in gut. In this review, the recent findings on the effects of dietary black cumin on poultry performance, immune response, plasma constitutes, gut microbiota and enzyme activity are reviewed and discussed.
Feeding of black cumin (nigella sativa L.) and its effects on poultry production and health
Laudadio, V.;Selvaggi M.;Tufarelli, V.
2020-01-01
Abstract
Black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) is a perennial and autogamous plant belonging to Umbelliferae family growing in Central Asia and Europe as a medicinal plant with seeds and oil used in treating several diseases and employed in food industry. Reduction of blood sugar and anti-cancer effects are the main therapeutic properties of black cumin oil. Moreover, hypoglycemia and hypocholesterolemia are two modern life-style diseases and feeding of black cumin may be useful to solve these conditions. The available literature reports that the addition of black cumin seeds improved the performance (3-5% in diet) and influenced positively (2-3% in diet) intestinal bacteria of broilers. Also, black cumin oil administered in diet (up to 3%) reduced the number of thrombocytes and neutrophils and increased lymphocytes in broilers. Black cumin seeds may also increase the content of unsaturated fatty acids and enhance antioxidant properties of poultry meat (up to 2% in diet). In laying hens, feeding of black cumin oil (1-2% of diet) increased egg mass and improved egg quality especially in early production phase, reducing also gut E. coli count. Dietary supplementation with black cumin (2% as seeds or 0.5% as oil) in quail diet improved the performance (growth and egg production) and reduced significantly the harmful bacteria in gut. In this review, the recent findings on the effects of dietary black cumin on poultry performance, immune response, plasma constitutes, gut microbiota and enzyme activity are reviewed and discussed.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
