Effects of Cr-methionine supplementation on growth performance, relative organ weight, immune hormones, and meat quality of broiler chicks under heat stress

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to observe the effects of dietary supplementation with Cr-Met supplementation on growth performance, relative organ weight, immune hormones, and meat quality in broilers under heat stress. Male broilers (672; BW = 46±5 g) were randomly allotted into one of the following 4 dietary treatments: (1) CON (basal diet), (2) C1 (basal diet + 20 mg/kg Cr-Met), (3) C2 (basal diet + 30 mg/kg Cr-Met), (4) C3 (basal diet + 50 mg/kg Cr-Met). Organic chromium in the form of Cr-Met was used. From d 8 to 21, BW gain was greater in C1 diet, and FCR was better in C2 and C3 treatments than in CON diet. The birds fed diets supplemented with Cr-Met had higher WBC and RBC level at 30 days old compared with those fed CON diet. The parameters of drop loss at 7 days, the highest presented in C2 diets, the lowest appeared in C1 diets. As the concentrations of adding Cr-Met increasing, the L (lightness) of meat was greater. We are able to observe the highest a (redness) in C1 diets, the lowest a in C3 diets, respectively. In addition, no distinctions were discovered from the data of hormones (BUN, creatinine, lymphocyte) and relative organ weights (spleen, liver breast, bursa of Fabrious, gizzard), abdominal fat and the pH of meat. In conclusion, Cr-Met fed in diets is beneficial for growth performance, immunity, under heat stress conditions. Besides, it had some effects on meat color and drop loss.