Effects of Coenzyme Q10 on Growth Performance and Heart Mitochondrial Function of Broilers Under High Altitude Induced Hypoxia

Abstract

In order to test whether exogenous coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) can improve growth performance and heart mitochondrial function of broilers grown at high altitude, a study was conducted on a farm in Xining City of Qinghai Province of China at an altitude of 2,200m with a 78% of partial pressure of atmospheric oxygen (O2) as compared to that at sea level. Three hundred, 1-d-old male, broilers (Arbor Acres) were divided into three groups and fed diets supplemented with 0mg (control, C), 20mg (Q1) or 40mg (Q2) CoQ10 per kg feed. CoQ10 supplementation increased body weight (BW) of broilers at 21d of age. BWs of Q1 (551.6±9.8g) and Q2 (509.4±10.7g) were higher than that of C (465.7±10.3g) at 21d of age (P<0.05). At 42d of age, BW of Q1 (2047.5±40.8g) was higher than that of C (1895.9±39.0g; P<0.05). Supplementation with CoQ10 decreased heart weight as a percentage of total BW (P<0.05) and improved yield (% BW) of breast muscle (P<0.05) as compared to C. Supplementation with CoQ10 at 40mg/kg feed decreased drip loss of breast muscle (P<0.05). Oxygen consumption of state III respiration and succinate-CoQ oxidoreductase (complex II) activity of heart mitochondria were increased by supplementation of CoQ10 (P<0.05). Supplemental CoQ10 at 40mg/kg feed increased state IV respiration rate (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in respiration control rate of heart mitochondria among the three treatment groups. Supplementation with CoQ10 at 20mg/kg increased glutathione peroxidase activity (P<0.05), and concomitantly decreased (P<0.05) the content of malondialdehyde in serum of 35-d old broilers. These findings suggest that CoQ10 can be used as a growth promoter in broilers at high altitude.