| Summary: | This study aimed to evaluate the effects of diets supplemented with various levels of complex antioxidants (<b>CA</b>) containing tertiary butylhydroquinone (<b>TBHQ</b>) and tea polyphenols (<b>TP</b>) on growth performance, meat quality of breast and leg muscles, serum biochemistry, and antioxidant capacity of serum, liver, breast meat, jejunum, and ileum in broilers. A total of 600 one-day-old Arbor Acres male broilers with similar body weights were randomly divided into three groups (10 replicates/group, 20 broilers/replicate). Birds in the three experimental groups were fed a basal diet with CA at 0, 300, and 500 mg/kg. The results showed that supplementing with 300 mg/kg CA significantly increased (<i>p</i> < 0.05) 42 d BW and 22–42 d ADG, and markedly decreased (<i>p</i> < 0.05) 22–42 d F: G ratio in comparison to the control group. Birds fed a diet with 300 mg/kg CA had a higher (<i>p</i> < 0.05) pH of chicken meat at 24 h and 48 h post mortem and lower (<i>p</i> < 0.05) yellowness values (b*) of chicken meat at 45 min and 24 h post mortem, along with a lower (<i>p</i> < 0.05) cooking loss. Supplementing with 300 mg/kg CA significantly increased (<i>p</i> < 0.05) serum and liver T-SOD activity, serum T-AOC level, as well as jejunual GST activity, and significantly decreased (<i>p</i> < 0.05) liver MDA content when compared with the control group. These results indicate that diet supplementation with 300 mg/kg CA containing TBHQ and TP could improve growth performance and meat quality by increasing the antioxidant capacity of broilers.
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