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The main aim of this study was to elucidate the potential of Yucca schidigera supplementation on the health performances, blood biomarkers, and relative telomere length of broilers reared under tropical conditions. A total of 300 one-day-old male Ross 308 broilers were purchased, weighed, and divided randomly into six dietary regimens. The dietary treatments consisted of T1: commercial feed without antibiotics (negative control) and T2: commercial feed added with 100 mg/kg oxytetracycline (positive control). Birds in T3, T4, T5, and T6 were fed with commercial feed supplemented with 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg/kg of powdered Y. schidigera saponins. The broilers were monitored daily and the clinical sign and mortality were recorded. On day 42, ten male broilers from each treatment were randomly selected and slaughtered, and blood samples were collected for leucocyte profiling, immunoglobulins, cytokines, and telomere length analyses. All data obtained were subjected to the Chi-Square Test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Tukey Post-Hoc Test to determine the significant differences among treatment groups. The data were considered significant at P < 0.05. Throughout the 42-day study, a few cases of leg problems, diarrhea, and mortality were observed, but there were no significant associations (P > 0.05). However, there were significant differences (P < 0.05) in the leucocyte profiling, immunoglobulins, cytokines, and telomere length expression among treatments. Negative control broilers not fed with any additive demonstrated the lowest values as compared to the antibiotic and treatment groups. Overall, T6 broilers fed with a diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg of Y. schidigera saponins exhibited the best leucocyte profiling (increased total WBC count, monocytes, and basophil count; decreased H/L ratio), immunoglobulins (upregulated Ig-G, Ig-A, and Ig-M,), cytokines (increased IL-4 and IL-7), and the longest telomere length expression followed by T2 broilers. In summary, this study has established that 100 mg/kg of Y. schidigera saponins supplementation in diet can be used to enhance the health performances of broilers raised under hot and humid conditions.

The primary goal of this study was to determine the impacts of supplementing varying amounts of Y. schidigera saponins on the blood biochemistry and stress biomarkers of broiler chickens raised in tropical settings. A total of 300 male day-old Ross 308 broilers were randomly assigned to six treatment groups. Treatment 1 broiler chickens were fed commercial diets with no added additives, whereas treatment 2 broiler chickens were offered commercial diets containing 100 mg/kg of the antibiotic oxytetracycline. Treatments 3, 4, 5, and 6 broiler chickens received similar commercial diets supplemented with 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg/kg of powdered Y. Shidigera saponins, respectively, without antibiotics. On day 42, six broilers from each treatment were randomly selected, slaughtered, and blood samples were collected for serum lipid profile, liver function,acute phase proteins, hormone, and heat shock protein analyses. There were notable changes (P < 0.05) in the serum lipid profile, acute phase proteins, hormone, and heat shock protein among treatments. Broilers treated with 100 mg/kg of Y.Shidigera saponins in T6 showed the lowest levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations while having the highest high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level without affecting the liver parameters. Moreover, the serum amyloid A, alpha-1-acid glycoprotein, corticosterone, and heat shock protein 70 concentrations were also the lowest as compared to the other treatments. In conclusion, supplementing 100 mg/kg of Y. Shidigera saponins in broiler diets could improve lipid profiles and act as an anti-stress for commercial broilers raised in tropical regions.

This study aims to study the effect of Yucca shidigera as a phytobiotic supplementation in enhancing the production performance of commercial broilers reared under tropical environments. A total of 300 male day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly allocated into six treatment groups. Treatment 1 broilers were fed with commercial diets without antibiotics. Treatment 2 broilers were fed with commercial diets added with 100 mg/kg oxytetracycline antibiotic. Treatment 3, 4, 5, and 6 were fed with the same commercial diets added with 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg/kg Y. shidigera, respectively, without antibiotic. Throughout the six weeks study period, body weight and feed intake were recorded weekly for each replicate to calculate the body weight gain and feed conversion ratio. In addition, the nutrient digestibility, gut histomorphology, cecal microflora population, carcass characteristics, and meat quality were determined. The results showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in the growth performance, apparent ileal nutrient digestibility, gut histomorphology, carcass traits, and meat quality. Overall, T6 broilers supplemented with 100 mg/kg Y. shidigera demonstrated the best production performances as compared to the other treatment broilers. In summary, information from this study will be valuable for the usability of Y. schidigera, which could be developed as a feed additive to replace antibiotics in the poultry sector in the tropics.