Effect of ghrelin on growth performance, carcass quality, and selected serum parameters in broiler chickens

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The aim of present study was to investigate the short-term and long-term effect of the peripheral administration of ghrelin on the growth performance (feed intake, weight gain, and feed conversion ratio), carcass quality, and selected serum biochemical (glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and total protein) and hormonal (T 3 , T 4 , and corticostrone) indices in broiler chickens. 240 one-day-old broiler chickens were selected, and divided into three treatment groups (control and two experimental groups). On day-21 of the experimental rearing period, three experimental groups were subjected to peripheral ghrelin administration. The control consisted of birds without any administration of peptide or solution, groups G50 and G100; included birds with Ip-injection of 50 and 100 (ng/100g BW) ghrelin peptide, respectively. The peripheral administration of exogenous ghrelin during the rearing period did not affect feed intake, body weight gain (BWG), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and carcass characteristics in broiler chickens. In short-term samples taken 12h after ghrelin infusion, the glucose level was increased in ghrelin-treated groups (162 and 151 mg/dl in compared with 117 mg/dl in control; P< 0.01) and there were significant declines for TC, triglyceride, and TP in the ghrelin-treated groups (G50 and G100) compared with the control. Similarly, with short-term samples, long-term glucose level was at a greater level in G50 and G100 (182 and 200.66 mg/dl in compared with control: 133.60 mg/dl; P< 0.01). A significant decline was observed for TC and triglyceride in the ghrelin-treated groups (P<0.05). There is no significant change between groups for TP in both samples. There was a significant increase for T4 in ghrelin-treated groups (G50 and G100) compared with the control (4.55 and 4.57 ng/ml in compared with 4.20 ng/ml; P< 0.05) in long-term. In conclusion, the peripheral administration of ghrelin in broiler chickens, during the commercial rearing period did not affect the overall growth performance, carcass quality and feed conversion ratio. The infusion of exogenous ghrelin may increase the levels of serum glucose, decrease total cholesterol and triglyceride, and T 4 is increased in the long-term (and not in the short-term or 12h after administration). The effect of endogenous chicken ghrelin needs further studies.