# Influence of Dietary Fermented Coffee Cherry Pulp on Growth Performance, Meat Quality, and Cecal Microbiota in Thai Native Chickens

## TL;DR

Fermented coffee cherry pulp improves chicken growth and meat quality while supporting gut health, offering a sustainable alternative to antibiotics.

## Contribution

Fermented coffee cherry pulp is shown to enhance poultry production efficiency and gut microbiota composition without health risks.

## Key findings

- Supplementing with 1.0 g/kg CCF increased body weight and improved feed conversion in chickens.
- CCF reduced serum triglycerides and improved thigh muscle protein content without affecting organ health.
- Cecal microbiota showed enriched beneficial bacteria linked to fermentation and metabolic pathways.

## Abstract

Coffee processing generates large amounts of by-products that are often discarded despite containing valuable bioactive compounds. This study evaluated fermented coffee cherry pulp (CCF) as a natural feed additive for slow-growing chickens. Supplementation at an optimal level improved growth performance, feed efficiency, blood lipid profile, and selected meat quality traits without negative effects on health. Although overall gut microbial diversity remained stable, specific beneficial bacterial groups associated with fermentation processes were enriched. These findings indicate that CCF can enhance production efficiency while supporting gut health, offering a sustainable and natural alternative to antibiotic growth promoters in poultry production.

Coffee cherry pulp is an abundant by-product of coffee processing and contains bioactive compounds with potential value in animal nutrition. This study evaluated fermented coffee cherry pulp (CCF) as a feed additive in Thai native chickens. Five hundred day-old chicks were randomly allocated to five treatments: basal diet (CON), antibiotic growth promoter (AGP), and basal diets supplemented with 0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 g/kg CCF for 12 weeks. Supplementation with 1.0 g/kg CCF significantly increased final body weight and average daily gain and significantly improved feed conversion ratio compared with the basal diet (p < 0.05). Serum triglyceride levels were significantly reduced in the CCF1.0 and CCF2.0 groups (p < 0.05), while liver and kidney function indicators were not affected. Cooking loss was significantly lower in CCF-supplemented groups, and thigh muscle crude protein content was significantly higher at 0.5 and 1.0 g/kg (p < 0.05). Alpha diversity of cecal microbiota was not significantly altered, but directional shifts in community composition were observed, including enrichment of short-chain fatty acid-associated genera. Functional prediction indicated differences in carbohydrate and amino acid metabolic pathways. These results support fermented coffee cherry pulp as a potential alternative to antibiotic growth promoters in native chicken production.