Evaluation of Hydrolyzed Black Cumin Seed Protein as a Bioactive Peptide Source in Broiler Chicken Diets

Subject Areas :

A. Dadashi Oranj ¹ , B. Navidshad ² , S. Karimzadeh ³ , A. Kalantari Hesari ⁴ , F. Mirzaei Aghjehgheshlagh ⁵

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Received: 2024-11-22 Accepted : 2025-05-30 Published : 2025-09-01

Keywords: bioactive peptides, black cumin seed meal, broiler chickens, performance,

Abstract :

This study investigated the effects of hydrolyzed black cumin seed protein (HBCP) as a potential source of bioactive peptides on broiler chicken performance. A total of 560 Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly allocated to seven dietary treatments: a control diet and six treatments containing varying levels of HBCP (0.05%, 0.1%, 0.15%, 0.2%), prebiotic (0.2%), or organic acid (0.2%). Results showed that the inclusion of 0.1%, 0.15%, and 0.2% HBCM in broiler diets improved body weight gain and feed conversion ratio during the entire rearing period. Additionally, the addition of 0.2% prebiotic and organic acid to the diet signifi-cantly increased body weight and decreased feed conversion ratio compared to the control group (P<0.05). Inclusion of 0.1%, 0.15%, and 0.2% HBCM in the diet significantly increased the digestibility of dry matter and organic matter compared to the control group (P<0.05). The use of 0.15% and 0.2% HBCM improved ash digestibility compared to the control group (P<0.05). The inclusion of prebiotics and organic acids in broiler diets also significantly improved the digestibility of dry matter, ash, and organic matter (P<0.05). Furthermore, the addition of HBCP, prebiotic, and organic acid positively influenced intestinal morphology, characterized by increased villus height, width, while decreasing crypt depth (P<0.05). Regarding blood biochemistry, HBCP, prebiotic, and organic acid supplementation led to decreased cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglyceride levels, while increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels (P<0.05). The results of this experiment demonstrated that bioactive peptides derived from black cumin hydrolysate exerted effects comparable to those of prebiotics and organic acids, improving productive traits in broilers.

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