Growth performance, intestinal morphology, and serum biochemistry of European quail (Coturnix coturnix) fed agro-industrial fruit residue extracts as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters.

This study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation with agro-industrial fruit residue extracts as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters on performance, intestinal histomorphometry, and serum biochemical parameters of European quail (Coturnix coturnix). A total of 250 one-day-old birds were distributed in a completely randomized design with five treatments: positive control (bacitracin zinc, 500 g/t), negative control, and diets supplemented with pineapple (Ananas comosus) extract (900 ppm), acerola (Malpighia emarginata) extract (1,600 ppm), or cajá (Spondias mombin) extract (900 ppm) for 35 days. Data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA), and means were compared using Tukey's test at a 5% significance level. From 1 to 14 days, quail fed cajá extract showed lower weight gain compared with the negative control, with no differences for feed intake or feed conversion. From 15 to 35 days, feed intake was lower in birds receiving cajá compared with both controls. At 35 days, final body weight was lower in the cajá group, whereas pineapple and acerola treatments did not differ from the controls. In the ileum, villus height, villus area, and villus:crypt ratio were higher in birds fed pineapple and acerola extracts compared with cajá. Cajá extract resulted in lower villus height and villus:crypt ratio and higher crypt depth. In the duodenum and jejunum, fewer differences were observed among treatments. Serum biochemical parameters were affected by treatments. Birds fed cajá extract showed lower glucose, phosphorus, total protein, and albumin levels. Aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activities were higher in birds fed acerola extract. No differences were observed for triglycerides, creatinine, uric acid, alanine aminotransferase, or γ-glutamyl transferase. In conclusion, pineapple extract at 900 ppm and acerola extract at 1,600 ppm maintained performance and improved ileal morphology, whereas cajá extract at 900 ppm resulted in lower performance, altered intestinal morphology, and reduced serum biochemical parameters.