Dietary Inclusion of Casimiroa (

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary inclusion of soaked Casimiroa seed kernel (CSK) meal on broiler meat quality, blood parameters, immunological response, and cecal microbiota. A total of 192 Cobb-500 broilers were assigned to four dietary treatments (0%, 1.5%, 3.0%, and 4.5% soaked CSK) in a completely randomized design with four replicates and 12 birds per replicate. The birds were fed isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets for 42 days. Majority of the optimal results were observed at the 1.5% and 3.0% soaked CSK inclusion levels, as evidenced by significant quadratic trends. Breast and thigh meat quality showed quadratic improvements in protein content, fat reduction, drip and cooking loss reduction, redness, and sensory scores (juiciness and tenderness). Key blood parameters (red blood cells, hemoglobin, total protein, immunoglobulins, and globulins) were improved quadratically, while serum triglycerides and cholesterol decreased linearly. Additionally, all soaked CSK inclusion levels quadratically reduced pathogenic E. coli and coliforms without impacting beneficial Lactobacilli and Enterococcus spp. Based on these results, dietary inclusion of soaked CSK meal up to 3.0% is a safe and effective strategy for simultaneously enhancing broiler meat physicochemical quality, improving metabolic and immune status, and promoting a beneficial gut microbiota balance.