Dietary Effects of Peppermint (Mentha spicata) on Performance, Blood Metabolites and Meat Quality in Japanese Quail

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate the impact of peppermint supplementation on production performance, blood metabolites, meat quality, and the cost-effectiveness of raising Japanese quail. A total of 480 quail birds were raised and divided into six experimental treatment groups, each with four replications. Each replication consisted of 20 Japanese quail birds. The treatment groups were labeled as T0, T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5. T0 served as the control group, where birds were fed commercial poultry feed without any supplements. The T1 group was given commercial quail feed supplemented with an antibiotic growth promoter (AGP). The T2 group was provided with 0.5% peppermint, while the T3, T4, and T5 groups were supplemented with 1%, 1.5%, and 2% peppermint, respectively, in their commercial diets. Water and feed were supplied ad libitum to all groups. During the trial, feed intake, weight gain, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were monitored, and at its conclusion, dressing percentage and organ weights were assessed. The results indicated that adding 1.5% peppermint to the diet significantly enhanced body weight gain, improved the FCR, and increased feed intake. Furthermore, the addition of peppermint enhanced the cost-benefit ratio compared to other treatment groups. Therefore, dietary supplementation with peppermint, particularly at 1.5%, can be recommended to enhance production performance and economic efficiency in Japanese quail farming, providing a natural and cost-effective alternative to antibiotic growth promoters.