Effects of Guanidinoacetic Acid Supplementation on Productive Performance, Pectoral Myopathies, and Meat Quality of Broiler Chickens.

Shady Khalil,Nualprae Saenbungkhor,Chanporn Chaosap,Ronachai Sitthigripong,Sukanya Jumanee,Kajorn Kesnava,Panneepa Sivapirunthep

doi:10.3390/ani11113180

Abstract

Simple SummaryGenetic selection for rapid growth is accompanied with challenges in meat quality such as pectoral myopathies, which lead to downgrading of breast muscle and economic losses for slaughterhouses. This experiment evaluated the effects of guanidinoacetic acid supplementation at rate of 0%, 0.06%, and 0.12% on the productive performance and meat quality of broiler chickens. Result showed that wooden breast was manifested by low creatine and high ultimate pH, and more associated with heavy birds. Guanidinoacetic acid supplementation increased muscle glycogen, reduced the ultimate pH, and reduced the incidence of wooden breast severity. In conclusion, guanidinoacetic acid can be used in broiler diets to improve the productive performance without exacerbating pectoral myopathy or affecting meat quality.The effects of guanidinoacteic acid (GAA) supplementation on productive performance, pectoral myopathies, and meat quality of broilers were studied. Treatments consisted of corn/soybean-based diets with a GAA supplement (0%, 0.06%, and 0.12%). A total of 546 one-day-old Ross-308 males were randomly allocated to 42 floor pens with 14 replicates (13 birds/pens) for each treatment. The results showed that GAA at doses of 0.06% and 0.12% improved feed conversion, increased the percentage of normal breast, and decreased the severity of wooden breast. Breast muscle myopathy severity was positively correlated with heavy birds and negatively correlated with breast muscle creatine and glycogen. Breast muscle creatine and glycogen correlated positively with normal, less severe pectoral myopathies and meat quality. In conclusion, GAA supplementation improved broiler performance without exacerbating pectoral myopathy or affecting meat quality.

Highlights

Two major myopathies faced by the broiler industry are wooden breast (WB) and white striping (WS)
Our results showed that the guanidinoacteic acid (GAA) supplemented groups had the largest normal pectoral muscle and the lowest WB scores compared to the control group
WB affected breast muscle was indicated by low Cre content, high ultimate pH, and poor meat quality such as paler color, higher cooking loss, higher raw hardness, and was more associated with heavy birds

Summary

Introduction

Improvements in meat production, in broilers, have been accompanied by challenges in meat quality, such as pectoral myopathies [1] These myopathies lead to downgrading or condemnation of carcasses and economic losses for slaughterhouses as the breasts of these birds, which are considered premium cuts in the poultry industry, must be discarded due to their condition [2]. WB is characterized by discoloration of the muscles, hard consistency, turbid, viscous coating on the outer surface, and reduced myofibrillar protein [4]. Both WS and WB have been reported to affect the water-holding capacity of meat, resulting in higher drip loss and cooking loss, and lower marinade absorption [7,8,9]. Del Campo et al [10] reported that the hardness of raw meat increased with the severity of WB

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion