Effects of Immunologically Active Peptides on Growth Performance, Meat Quality, Antioxidant Capacity, and Ileum Inflammation in Broilers

Abstract

Simple Summary Modern poultry production requires nutritional strategies that can improve broiler health and production efficiency while reducing reliance on antibiotics. Bioactive peptides are natural compounds that may help regulate antioxidant defense, immune balance, and intestinal health, but their use in broiler diets remains insufficiently studied. This study evaluated the effects of immunologically active peptides on growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, antioxidant status, immune function, and intestinal inflammation in broiler chickens. Broilers were fed a basal diet or diets supplemented with two levels of these peptides for 42 days. The results showed that the moderate supplementation level improved feed efficiency, increased the activity of an important antioxidant enzyme in the blood, and reduced the expression of a pro-inflammatory marker in the ileum. No negative effects were observed on carcass traits or meat quality. These findings suggest that immunologically active peptides may be a promising natural feed additive for improving broiler health and production efficiency, supporting more sustainable poultry production.