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This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary soapnut (Sapindus mukorossi) shell powder (SSP), a cheap source of saponins, on growth performance, immunity, serum biochemistry and gut health of broiler chickens. The experimental design was 4×2, employing four saponin levels (0, 100, 150 and 200 mg/kg diet), each provided for two time durations (0-42 day and 21-42 day) resulting into eight dietary treatments. Results revealed no significant effect of dietary saponins on body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio of birds. The abdominal fat percentage, heterophil to lymphocyte ratio, serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels, faecal total plate count, coliform count and E. coli count decreased (p < .05) progressively with increasing saponin levels and lower values were observed at 150 mg and 200 mg saponin levels. Significant improvement of cell-mediated and humoral immune response was observed in birds fed 150 mg and 200 mg saponin compared to control. The serum glucose concentration was significantly (p < .05) higher in control group compared to other groups. No significant effects of dietary saponin were observed on carcass characteristics, faecal Lactobacillus count, intestinal histomorphometry and cost economics of broiler chicken production. Thus, dietary saponins at 150 mg/kg diet as SSP for three weeks (21-42 days) was optimum for better immunity and welfare of birds without adverse effects on the growth performance., (© 2019 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)

A total of 384 broiler chicken of same hatch and uniform body weight were used to assess the role of saponins in meat quality. The soapnut shell powder obtained from Sapindus mukorossi was used as a source of saponins. Following a 4 × 2 factorial design broiler chicken diets were supplemented with four saponin levels (0, 100, 150, 200 mg/kg diet) and each provided for 42 (0-42 day) and 21 days (21-42 day) resulting into eight dietary treatments. The results revealed that dietary saponin supplementation significantly ( P <  0 . 05) and progressively decreased the cholesterol, fat content, and peroxide values (after 30 days of 0 °C storage) of breast and thigh meat. There was a progressive and significant ( P <  0 . 05) increase in the ABTS and DPPH values of broiler chicken meat with increasing dietary saponin levels. However, the effect of dietary saponin level of 150 mg did not differ significantly from 200 mg level. The peroxide values of breast and thigh meat after 30 days of storage and TBARS values of fresh breast and thigh meat as well as after 30 days of storage were significantly ( P <  0 . 05) higher in control group compared to other groups supplemented with different saponin levels which did not differ significantly ( P >  0 . 05) from each other. Further, significantly ( P <  0 . 05) better antioxidant and lipid oxidation status was observed by supplementing saponins for 42 days duration compared to 21 days. Thus, it was concluded that the dietary supplementation of 150 mg saponin/kg diet of broiler chicken for 42 day duration results in better meat quality with better lipid oxidative stability., Competing Interests: Compliance with ethical standardsNone.