Supplementation of Japanese Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) Breeders with Tagetes erecta Flower Extract and Vitamin E Improves the Oxidative Status of Embryos and Chicks

The effects of Tagetes erecta flower extract (TFE) and increasing levels of vitamin E (VE) in the diet of Japanese quail breeders on progeny performance and oxidative status were studied. Methods: 480 Japanese quail breeders were distributed in a completely randomized design with five treatments and twelve replications of six females and two males each. A control diet (25 mg/kg VE) and four diets supplemented with TFE (3 g/kg) and VE (25, 100, 175, or 250 mg/kg) were used. Fresh yolk samples and the yolk sac and liver from embryos (11 and 15 days) and chicks (hatch and 3 days) were analysed. Data were subjected to ANOVA, a regression linear model, and contrast tests and the level of significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: TF and VE in the maternal diet improved the amount of alfa-tocopherol and total carotenoid content in the yolk. TFE + VE reduced lipid peroxidation and improved the oxidative status in the fresh yolk, in the embryo and chick yolk, and in the liver. Liver superoxide dismutase activity in hatched chicks increased linearly with the VE level and was not altered by TFE. Maternal diets did not influence progeny performance (1 to 28 days) or the relative expression of superoxide dismutase or glutathione peroxidase genes in the liver of chicks. Conclusions: TFE is an effective antioxidant in fresh eggs and supplementation of 3 g/kg TFE and high levels of VE in quail breeders improves the oxidative status of embryos and newly hatched chicks.