Effect of Pistachio Shell (Pistacia vera L.) on Quail Performance, Carcass Traits, Blood Parameters, and Gut Health

Cetin, M; Apaydin, M

doi:10.1590/1806-9061-2024-1960

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Original Article • Braz. J. Poult. Sci. 27 (2) • 2025 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9061-2024-1960 linkcopy

Effect of Pistachio Shell (Pistacia vera L.) on Quail Performance, Carcass Traits, Blood Parameters, and Gut Health

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The increasing demand for sustainable and cost-effective poultry feeds has accelerated research into alternative sources. This study evaluated the effects of pistachio shell (PS) on the performance, carcass characteristics, oxidative stress markers, lipid profile and gut microbiota of Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica). A total of 240 quails were assigned to diets with 0%, 2%, 4%, or 6% PS for 42 days. Performance metrics (live weight (LW), feed intake (FI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR)) were monitored weekly. Carcass traits, oxidative stress markers (total antioxidant status [TAS], total oxidant status [TOS], oxidative stress index [OSI]), blood lipids, and intestinal microbiota were analyzed. While LW remained unaffected, FCR improved by 5.48% in the 6% PS group due to reduced FI. Abdominal fat weight decreased by 29.17% without affecting carcass weight. Antioxidant capacity improved, with TAS increasing by 36%, and TOS and OSI decreasing by 22.93% and 42.64%, respectively. HDL cholesterol rose significantly in the 6% PS group. PS supplementation also increased caecum pH and beneficial bacteria, while E. coli counts declined (p<0.01). The 4% PS group showed the lowest Enterobacter and coliform levels. These findings suggest PS can be a functional feed additive, enhancing feed efficiency, antioxidant status, and gut health in quails.

Keywords:
Quail diets; pistachio shell; performance metrics; antioxidant capacity; intestinal microbiota

Nutrient Component	Level
Dry matter (%)	95.09
Crude protein (%)	6.37
Crude fat (%)	7.35
Crude cellulose (%)	14.41
Crude Ash (%)	7.33
Metabolizable energy (kcal/kg)	2900
Nitrogen-Free Extract (%)	59.63

Ingredients	Treatment Groups
Ingredients	Control	2% PS	4% PS	6% PS
Corn	420	420	420	420
Wheat	188	162	137	110
Soybean Meal	223	228	232	237
Corn Gluten Flour	130	130	130	130
Pistachio Shell	0	20	40	60
Vegetable Oil	5	6	7	9
Marble Dust	14	14	14	14
Monocalcium Phosphate	11	11	11	11
Vitamins and Minerals	2.5	2.5	2.5	2.5
Lysine	0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5
Methionine	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5
NaHCO3	1	1	1	1
Salt	3.5	3.5	3.5	3.5
Total	1000	1000	1000	1000
Calculated Nutrient Values
Crude Protein (%)	24	24	24	24
Metabolizable Energy (kcal/kg)	3100	3100	3100	3100

Weeks	Trait	Control	PS 2%	PS 4%	PS 6%	L	Q	C
0-3	LW	107.90±2.32^b	107.07±2.45^b	118.05±2.40^a	116.82±2.38^a	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01
	FI	274.00±0.66^a	254.00±0.87^b	226.69±2.04^c	215.67±1.38^d	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01
	FCR	2.57±0.08^a	2.43±0.08^a	2.07±0.03^b	2.02±0.05^b	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01
4-6	LW	160.84±1.80^a	157.38±1.16^ab	150.35±1.52^c	155.27±1.34^b	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01
	FI	552.57±1.44^b	525.59±2.40^c	563.74±2.48^a	563.66±2.11^a	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01
	FCR	3.43±0.07^b	3.22±0.06^c	3.74±0.07^a	3.80±0.05^a	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01
0-6	LW	269.98±3.74	265.95±2.90	269.60±3.31	272.80±2.69	NS	NS	NS
	FI	826.53±2.11^a	779.71±3.51^c	790.07±3.56^b	779.34±3.51^c	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01
	FCR	3.10±0.05^a	3.02±0.03^ab	3.00±0.04^ab	2.93±0.03^b	<0.01	<0.01	0.05

Trait	Control	PS 2%	PS 4%	PS 6%	L	Q	C
Carcass (g)	203.50±2.91^a	192.94±2.77^b	193.89±4.04^b	204.06±3.03^a	NS	<0.01	0.05
Liver (g)	7.84±0.41	8.02±0.47	7.42±0.58	7.65±0.43	NS	NS	NS
Heart (g)	2.53±0.11	2.56±0.09	2.55±0.07	2.61±0.07	NS	NS	NS
Gizzard (g)	4.74±0.17	4.97±0.16	4.86±0.18	4.99±0.26	NS	NS	NS
Abd. fat (g)	3.12±0.33^a	2.17±0.14^b	1.87±0.24^b	2.21±0.23^b	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01

Traits	Control	PS 2%	PS 4%	PS 6%
Number of animals	60	60	60	60
Number of died animals	1	1	0	0
Mortality rate %	1.67	1.67	0	0
Survival rate (%)	98.33	98.33	100	100

Trait	Control	PS 2%	PS 4%	PS 6%	L	Q	C
Oxidative stress parameters
TAS (µmol Trolox Eqv/L)	1.30±0.02c	1.47±0.04b	1.59±0.05b	1.77±0.06a	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01
TOS (µmol)	16.75±0.21a	14.51±0.43b	13.74±0.35bc	12.91±0.29c	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01
OSI	1.29±0.02a	1.00±0.04b	0.88±0.04c	0.74±0.02d	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01
Blood Parameters
Triglyceride (mg/dL)	258.62±25.59	202.46±22.09	191.08±19.13	213.69±12.33	NS	NS	NS
Cholesterol (mg/dL)	222.33±13.10	245.33±18.03	216.94±13.40	241.56±19.73	NS	NS	NS
HDL Cholesterol (mg/dL)	125.67±6.32	144.39±10.92	144.06±9.27	162.17±11.98	0.05	NS	NS

Trait	Control	PS 2%	PS 4%	PS 6%	L	Q	C
Small Intestine pH	6.30±0.012^c	6.46±0.023^a	6.46±0.012^a	6.38±0.017^b	NS	<0.01	NS
Caecum pH	6.00±0.000^d	7.20±0.000^a	6.53±0.000^b	6.11±0.012^c	NS	NS	<0.01
Lactic acid (g kg^-1)	16.90±0.006^b	16.62±0.012^c	17.97±0.012^a	9.88±0.058^d	<0.01	<0.01	NS
Acedic acid (g kg^-1)	2.52±0.006^c	2.89±0.017^a	2.60±0.023^b	1.28±0.017^d	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01
Propionic acid (g kg^-1)	5.50±0.116^c	7.59±0.018^a	7.29±0.023^b	1.15±0.029^d	0.05	<0.01	<0.01
Butiric acid (g kg^-1)	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----	-----
Lactic acid bact. (g kg^-1)	8.03±0.026^b	8.34±0.012^a	7.39±0.036^c	8.42±0.010^a	NS	NS	<0.01
Total Bacteria (CFU g^-1)	9.38±0.010^d	9.83±0.004^b	9.55±0.015^c	10.18±0.017^a	<0.01	0.05	<0.01
Enterobacter (CFU g^-1)	8.94±0.003^b	8.48±0.005^c	6.71±0.003^d	8.99±0.002^a	NS	0.05	<0.01
Coliform Bacteria (CFU g^-1)	8.31±0.007^c	8.46±0.005^b	6.31±0.007^d	8.56±0.007^a	NS	NS	<0.01
E. Coli (CFU g^-1)	7.98±0.003^a	7.70±0.003^b	5.44±0.005^c	5.01±0.014^d	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01
Yeast (CFU g^-1)	3.53±0.004^b	4.34±0.012^a	2.32±0.007^d	2.46±0.005^c	<0.01	0.05	<0.01
Mold (CFU g^-1)	3.00±0.000^a	2.78±0.002^c	2.91±0.002^b	2.49±0.005^d	<0.01	<0.01	<0.01

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[TFN1] Vitamin Mixture: A 15.000.000 IU, B1 5.000 mg, B2 8.000 mg, B6 5.000 mg, B12 20 mg, C 100.000 mg, D 6.000.000 IU, K3 3.000 mg, B5 15.000 mg, D-Biotin 200 mg, E 100.000 mg, Folic Acid 2.000 mg, Nicotinic acid 60.000 mg. Mineral Mixture: Cu 16.000 mg, Mn 120.000 mg, Fe 80.000 mg, I 200 mg, Se 300 mg, Zn 80.000 mg; PS: pistachio shell