This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of Portulaca oleracea L. powder (POP) on growth
performance, carcass characteristics, antioxidant status, and blood metabolites in broiler chickens. A total
of 280 one-day-old male broiler chickens were randomly assigned to 5 treatments: corn-soya bean meal
as the basal control diet and the basal diet containing 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, or 1.00% of POP. Each treatment
consisted of 4 replicate pens with 14 broiler chickens per pen. The results indicated that dietary inclusion
of POP had no effect on broiler chickens body weight (BW) and body weight gain (BWG), whereas feed
intake (FI) decreased compared to control (Po0.05). Broiler chickens fed diets supplemented with 0.25,
0.75, and 1.00% of POP had a lower (Po0.05) feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to control at days 11–
25 and 1–43 of age. At day 43 of age liver superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx)
activities were not affected by the treatments, whereas a greater (Po0.05) liver catalase activity
(CAT) was recorded in broiler chickens fed 0.25 or 0.75% POP. Erythrocyte GSH-Px activity was also
greater (Po0.05) when 0.50 and 1.00% of POP was added to the diet. Serum total antioxidant capacity
(TAC) and serum and liver malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations were not affected by POP supplementation.
Carcass characteristics, serum cholesterol, glucose, albumin, total protein, high density lipoproteins,
and low density lipoproteins as well as haematocrit and haemoglobin values were not affected
by POP treatments, whereas serum triglycerides increased (Po0.05) in broiler chickens fed POP
supplemented diets. Supplementation of diet with POP increased Lactobacillus population and decreased
Escherichia coli population in the ileum (Po0.05). In conclusion, POP improved feed efficiency and antioxidant
status and can be considered as a feed additive in broiler chickens.