{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]],"date-time":"2026-02-25T04:49:34Z","timestamp":1771994974035,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"13","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,2]],"date-time":"2024-07-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1719878400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e Tecnologia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["UI\/BD\/153071\/2022"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UI\/BD\/153071\/2022"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e Tecnologia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["UIDB\/00276\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDB\/00276\/2020"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e Tecnologia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["LA\/P\/0059\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["LA\/P\/0059\/2020"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This systematic review examines the impact of varying Spirulina (Limnospira platensis) intake levels on broiler chickens, focusing on growth performance, blood health markers and carcass traits. The data revealed cumulative Spirulina intakes from 3.13 g to 521 g per bird (total feed consumed multiplied by its proportion in the diet) establish a cubic relationship between dosage and growth outcomes. Initial benefits peak and diminish with increased intake, with the optimal threshold for growth performance identified at 45 g per bird. Lower intakes between 14 g and 29 g per bird enhance blood health markers, improving lipid profiles and antioxidant capacity. Similarly, cumulative intakes of 14 g to 37 g per bird optimise meat quality, resulting in better dressing percentages, breast and thigh yields and meat tenderness while minimizing undesirable traits like abdominal fat and cooking loss. These findings underscore the importance of precisely calibrated Spirulina supplementation strategies to maximise growth, health and meat quality benefits while avoiding adverse effects at higher doses. Future research should focus on identifying optimal dosage and duration, assessing long-term implications, elucidating mechanisms of action and ensuring safety and regulatory compliance. Comparative studies with other feed additives could further establish Spirulina\u2019s effectiveness and economic viability in poultry production.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani14131964","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,2]],"date-time":"2024-07-02T11:33:53Z","timestamp":1719920033000},"page":"1964","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Analysing the Impact of Spirulina Intake Levels on Performance Parameters, Blood Health Markers and Carcass Traits of Broiler Chickens"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4863-1605","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria P.","family":"Sp\u00ednola","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"CIISA\u2014Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterin\u00e1ria, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. da Universidade T\u00e9cnica, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal"},{"name":"Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), Av. da Universidade T\u00e9cnica, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3030-7789","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"M\u00f3nica M.","family":"Costa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CIISA\u2014Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterin\u00e1ria, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. da Universidade T\u00e9cnica, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal"},{"name":"Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), Av. da Universidade T\u00e9cnica, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1032-5987","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jos\u00e9 A. M.","family":"Prates","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"CIISA\u2014Centro de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterin\u00e1ria, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. da Universidade T\u00e9cnica, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal"},{"name":"Associate Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Sciences (AL4AnimalS), Av. da Universidade T\u00e9cnica, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"694","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-018-36831-0","article-title":"Detailed characterization of the Arthrospira type species separating commercially grown taxa into the new genus Limnospira (Cyano-bacteria)","volume":"9","author":"Hauer","year":"2019","journal-title":"Sci. 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