Quality Of Chicken Meat Research Articles

Genomic insights into the contribution of de novo lipogenesis to intramuscular fat deposition in chicken

IntroductionThe proportion of animal based foods in daily diet of consumers is constantly increasing, with chicken being highly favored due to its high protein and low fat characteristics. The consumption of chicken around the world is steadily increasing. Intramuscular fat (IMF) is a key indicator affecting meat quality. ObjectHigh IMF content can contribute to improve the quality of chicken meat. The regulatory mechanism of IMF deposition in chicken is poorly understood, so its complete elucidation is essential to improve chicken meat quality. MethodHere, we performed whole genome resequencing on 516 yellow feather chickens and single-cell RNA sequencing on 3 63-day-old female JXY chickens. In addition, transcriptome sequencing techniques were also performed on breast muscle tissue of JXY chickens at different developmental stages. And 13C isotope tracing technique was applied. ResultsIn this study, a large-scale genetic analysis of an IMF-selected population and a control population identified fatty acid synthase (FASN) as a key gene for improving IMF content. Also, contrary to conventional view, de novo lipogenesis (DNL) was deemed to be an important contributor to IMF deposition. As expected, further analyses by isotope tracing and other techniques, confirmed that DNL mainly occurs in myocytes, contributing about 40% of the total fatty acids through the regulation of FASN, using the available FAs as substrates. Additionally, we also identified a relevant causal mutation in the FASN gene with effects on FA composition. ConclusionThese findings contribute to the understanding of fat metabolism in muscle tissue of poultry, and provide the feasible strategy for the production of high-quality chicken meat.

The potential effect of dietary inclusion of defatted black soldier fly meal on the quality and characteristics of cobb chicken meat

The potential effect of dietary inclusion of defatted black soldier fly meal on the quality and characteristics of cobb chicken meat

Identification of characteristic aroma compounds in chicken meat and their metabolic mechanisms using gas chromatography–olfactometry, odor activity values, and metabolomics

Aroma has an important influence on the aroma quality of chicken meat. This study aimed to identify the characteristic aroma substances in chicken meat and elucidate their metabolic mechanisms. Using gas chromatography–olfactometry and odor activity values, we identified nonanal, octanal, and dimethyl tetrasulfide as the basic characteristic aroma compounds in chicken meat, present in several breeds. Hexanal, 1-octen-3-ol, (E)-2-nonenal, heptanal, and (E,E)-2,4-decadienal were breed-specific aroma compounds found in native Chinese chickens but not in the meat of white-feathered broilers. Metabolomics analysis showed that L-glutamine was an important metabolic marker of nonanal, hexanal, heptanal, octanal, and 1-octen-3-ol. Exogenous supplementation experiments found that L-glutamine increased the content of D-glucosamine-6-P and induced the degradation of L-proline, L-arginine, and L-lysine to enhance the Maillard reaction and promote the formation of nonanal, hexanal, heptanal, octanal, and 1-octen-3-ol, thus improving the aroma profile of chicken meat.

HBP1 promotes chicken preadipocyte proliferation via directly repressing SOCS3 transcription

Preadipocyte proliferation is an essential process in adipose development. During proliferation of preadipocytes, transcription factors play crucial roles. HMG-box protein 1 (HBP1) is an important transcription factor of cellular proliferation. However, the function and underlying mechanisms of HBP1 in the proliferation of preadipocytes remain unclear. Here, we found that the expression level of HBP1 decreased first and then increased during the proliferation of chicken preadipocytes. Knockout of HBP1 could inhibit the proliferation of preadipocytes, while overexpression of HBP1 could promote the proliferation of preadipocytes. ChIP-seq data showed that HBP1 had the unique DNA binding motif in chicken preadipocytes. By integrating ChIP-Seq and RNA-Seq, we revealed a total of 3 candidate target genes of HBP1. Furthermore, the results of ChIP-qPCR, RT-qPCR, luciferase reporter assay and EMSA showed that HBP1 could inhibit the transcription of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) by binding to its promoter. Moreover, we confirmed that SOCS3 can mediate the regulation of HBP1 on the proliferation of preadipocytes through RNAi and rescue experiments. Altogether, these data demonstrated that HBP1 directly targets SOCS3 to regulate chicken preadipocyte proliferation. Our findings expand the transcriptional regulatory network of preadipocyte proliferation, and they will be helpful in formulating a molecular breeding scheme to control excessive abdominal fat deposition and to improve meat quality in chickens.

Gga-let-7a-3p inhibits the proliferation and differentiation of chicken intramuscular preadipocytes

ABSTRACT 1. Intramuscular fat (IMF) is a key parameter for chicken meat quality. IMF deposition is driven by genetic, nutritional and management factors, with genetics being the determining factor. Previous whole transcriptome sequencing revealed that microRNA gga-let-7a-3p was related to lipid metabolism in breast muscle. This study further investigated the potential role of gga-let-7a-3p in IMF deposition. 2. The mimic and inhibitor of gga-let-7a-3p were individually transfected into chicken intramuscular preadipocytes. Subsequently, the proliferation and differentiation states of the cells were detected. Transcriptome sequencing was performed on cells transfected with gga-let-7a-3p mimic. 3. The results indicated that gga-let-7a-3p suppressed the mRNA levels of proliferation and differentiation-related genes, as well as the protein levels. EdU and Oil Red O assays revealed that gga-let-7a-3p restrained preadipocyte proliferation and differentiation. In addition, a total of 333 up-regulated genes and 807 down-regulated genes were identified in cells transfected with gga-let-7a-3p mimic. Using Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) analysis, differential genes were found to be enriched in processes such as the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) signalling pathway and oxidative phosphorylation. 4. The study demonstrated that gga-let-7a-3p inhibits the proliferation and differentiation of chicken intramuscular preadipocytes, which provides new understanding to further unravel the function of gga-let-7a-3p.

Fujian Shengnong Development Dividend Distribution Study

Fujian Shengnong Development Dividend Distribution Research Fujian Shengnong Development Co., Ltd. is a leading enterprise in the national agricultural products industry and a leading enterprise in the agricultural products industry, and it is named Shengnong Development under the stock code 002299. Ltd. has formed a series of important characteristics such as high degree of product standardization, good quality of chicken meat, relatively stable delivery assurance ability, and strong responsiveness, etc. Shengong Development Co., Ltd. has developed into a strategic partner of Yum's chicken products, and it is an important source of suppliers to China's food and beverage companies. The effect of dividend distribution policy affects the operation of the whole company, which requires Shengnong Development Co. to make a scientific decision on dividend distribution. This case collects data on dividend distribution of Shengnong Development Co. during the six years of listing from 2016-2021, and analyzes the reasons for Shengnong Development Co.'s implementation of the dividend policy as well as the financial effects.

Effects of pre-slaughter fasting on antemortem skeletal muscle protein degradation levels and postmortem muscle free amino acid concentrations in broiler chickens

This study investigated the effects of pre-slaughter fasting time on the relationship between skeletal muscle protein degradation levels at slaughter and chicken meat quality after 48 h of postmortem aging. Twenty-four broiler chicks at 0 d of age were used in this study until 28 d of age. At 27 d of age, the chickens were assigned to 4 treatment groups: 0 h of fasting (0H), 8 h of fasting (8H), 16 h of fasting (16H), or 24 h of fasting (24H). They were slaughtered at 28 d of age. Blood samples were collected before fasting and immediately before slaughter. Plasma Nτ-methylhistidine concentration, an index of skeletal muscle protein degradation level, and muscle free amino acid concentration were analyzed. Antemortem changes in individual plasma Nτ-methylhistidine concentrations were significantly increased in 8H, 16H, and 24H compared to that in 0H (P < 0.05). After 48 h of postmortem storage, the glutamic acid content in the pectoralis major muscles increased with fasting time (P < 0.05), and the umami taste of chicken soup in the fasting groups (8H, 16H, 24H) was higher than that in the 0H group (P < 0.05). The antemortem changes in plasma Nτ-methylhistidine concentrations were correlated with glutamic acid content in the pectoralis major muscles (r = 0.57, P < 0.05) and umami taste (r = 0.66, P < 0.05). These results suggest that skeletal muscle protein degradation levels at slaughter are related to postmortem chicken meat quality, especially glutamic acid content and umami taste.

Effects of lycopene on the growth performance, meat quality, and antioxidant capacity of broiler chickens challenged with aflatoxin B1.

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary lycopene (LYC) supplementation on the growth performance, meat quality, and antioxidant capacity of breast muscle in aflatoxin B1 (AFB1 )-challenged broilers. A total of 192 1-day-old healthy Arbor Acres broilers were randomly assigned to 3 treatments, each with 8 replicates (8 broilers per replicate). The broilers of the three treatments were fed a basal diet (control), a basal diet supplemented with 100µg/kg AFB1 (CA), and a basal diet supplemented with 100µg/kg AFB1 and 200mg/kg LYC (CAL). The results demonstrated that the AFB1 diet increased the feed-to-gain (F/G) ratio (p<0.05), yellowness and shear force of breast muscle (p<0.05), and protein carbonyl (PC) content (p<0.05) while decreasing the average daily gain (ADG) (p<0.05), redness of breast muscle (p<0.05), glutathione peroxidase activity (p<0.05), and ability to clear OH· from breast muscle (p<0.05) in comparison to the control group. Dietary LYC supplementation significantly decreased the F/G ratio (p<0.05), yellowness and shear force (p<0.05), and the content of PC and hydrogen peroxide (p<0.05) while significantly increasing the ADG (p<0.05), redness of breast muscle (p<0.05), and ability of breast muscle to clear ABTS·+ (p<0.05) compared to the CA diet. In conclusion, LYC can alleviate the negative impacts of AFB1 on the growth performance, meat quality, and antioxidant capacity of breast muscle in broilers. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: LYC, as a popular antioxidant, is beneficial to the growth and health of animals. The detailed application effects are still being investigated. In this study, by adding LYC to an AFB1 -contaminated diet, it was found that LYC could alleviate the adverse effects of AFB1 on the growth performance, meat quality, and muscle antioxidant capacity of broilers. These findings can provide a reference for the application of LYC and similar plant-derived materials in animal production.

Halquinol and nanoencapsulated essential oils: A comparative study on growth performance, intestinal morphology and meat quality in broiler chickens

Diets supplemented with halquinol and/or nanoencapsulated essential oils (N-EOs) have shown positive effects on the productive parameters of broiler chickens. However, there is limited comparative evidence between these two products. This study aimed to investigate and compare the efficacy of N-EOs blends with halquinol as dietary supplements for broiler chickens. A total of 500 male Cobb 500 broiler chickens were randomly assigned to five dietary groups. The control group received a conventional diet supplemented with halquinol (60%), while the experimental groups received supplementation with N-EOs blends derived from soursop (S), lemon (L), and eucalyptus (E) in different proportions: T1 (S:33.33%, L:33.33%, E:33.33%), T2 (S:50%, L:25%, E:25%), T3 (S:25%, L:50%, E:25%), and T4 (S:25%, L:25%, E:50%). The trial lasted for 42 days. The results showed that the T1 and T4 groups obtained the highest values (p &lt; 0.05) for average daily growth rate and breast yield. The feed conversion ratio was significantly lower in groups T1 and T4 (p &lt; 0.05). All N-EOs supplemented groups exhibited higher carcass yield (p &lt; 0.05). At day 42, the T1 group displayed increased villus height and villus height/crypt depth ratio in the duodenum (p &lt; 0.01), while all experimental groups showed increased villus width in the jejunum and ileum (p &lt; 0.05). Texture analysis revealed that N-EOs-treated groups had texture values similar to halquinol, except for the T1 group, which significantly increased hardness (p &lt; 0.05). Bromatological analysis showed that the T4 group significantly improved the percentage of crude protein, fat, and ash compared to the halquinol-supplemented group (p &lt; 0.05). Additionally, the T1 and T4 groups exhibited lower levels of lipid peroxidation (p &lt; 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with N-EOs holds promise as a potential alternative to halquinol, with the added advantage of improved oxidative stability.

Evaluation of In Vitro Antimicrobial Activity of Bioactive Compounds and the Effect of Allyl-Isothiocyanate on Chicken Meat Quality under Refrigerated Conditions

Natural antimicrobials are effective against both food-borne pathogens and spoilage bacteria. The current study aimed to evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial activity of eight natural bioactive compounds (BACs) and one synthetic compound, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and to evaluate the effect of one selected BAC (AITC) on the safety and quality of minced chicken meat. Additionally, physicochemical (pH, color, water-holding capacity (WHC), chemical forms of myoglobin (deoxymyoglobin-DeoMb, oxymyoglobin-OxyMb, and metmyoglobin-MetMb), thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances (TBARs)), and microbiological properties (in vitro antimicrobial activity and determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)) were also evaluated through electronic-nose odor detection. Allyl-isothiocyanate (AITC), thymol, eugenol, and geraniol showed the broadest spectrum of in vitro antibacterial activity against one major meat spoilage bacterium and five pathogenic bacteria that were tested. Subsequently, AITC was selected to be applied to fresh minced chicken meat at different concentrations (at concentrations of the MIC (MIC-1), two times the MIC (MIC-2), and four times the MIC (MIC-4)). The chicken meat was then vacuum-packaged and kept for up to 14 days at 4 °C, and its quality properties were checked during storage. In this study, the addition of low concentrations of AITC (MIC-1) maintained the lightness (L*) and increased the WHC of the meat. High concentrations (MIC-2 and MIC-4) caused a significant increase in lightness (L*) and folded yellowness (b*) value, and they significantly reduced the redness (a*) and TBARS values compared to the control meat. The amounts of MetMb and DeoMb were reduced and the quantity of OxyMb was increased as a result of the addition of AITC to the chicken breast. Throughout storage, particularly at MIC-4, AITC showed the lowest numbers of aerobic mesophilic cells, as well as a reduction in Listeria monocytogenes cell numbers and a decrease in Salmonella Typhimurium counts. In addition, the meat containing MIC-4 did not exhibit growth of Pseudomonas lundensis after 10 days. During the storage period, an electronic-nose assay demonstrated a distinction in the odor buildup of AITC across the various meat groups, and meat treated with MIC-4 showed a trend that was clearly opposite to that of untreated meat. These encouraging results demonstrate the potential of AITC to improve the safety and shelf life of meat and meat products.

Carcass and antioxidative status of the brain and meat of two hybrids of broiler chicken fed Ficus carica leaf powder and vitamin C supplemented diets

Abstract The study examined the effect of dietary supplementation of Ficus carica leaf powder and vitamin C on the antioxidative status of the meat and brain of two hybrids of broiler chicken. Two hundred- and forty-day-old chicks, each of Arbor Acres (AA) and Cobb 500 (C5) hybrids of broiler chicken were randomly assigned to diets. Diet 1 and 2 had no supplement; diets 3 and 4 supplemented with vitamin C (200mg/kg of basal), diet 5 and 6 received 1g Ficus carica Leaf Powder (FCLP)/Kg of basal diet while diets 7 and 8 had 1g FCLP/kg of basal diet + 200mg of vitamin C. The interactive effect of hybrid, vitamin C and FCLP significantly influenced the dressing percentage, gizzard, pancreas, heart and proventriculus. Brain catalase and glutathione were significantly influenced by the hybrid, vitamin C and FCLP inclusion. Dietary supplementation of FCLP and vitamin C significantly lower the lipid peroxidation of the meat. There was significant interactive effect of the factors on lipid peroxidation while meat catalase and glutathione were significantly increased by the inclusion of FCLP. This study revealed that the dietary inclusions of broilers’ diets with 1g FCLP and 200mg vitamin C/kg of feed could influence carcass and organs weights as well as improve meat quality and brain antioxidant status of broiler chicken, with the C5 hybrid showing better antioxidative status.

Effect of fermented dandelion on productive performance, meat quality, immune function, and intestinal microbiota of broiler chickens

BackgroundDandelion has a great potential to be used as feed additive. Using microbial fermentation technology to degrade cell walls is conducive to enable better release of bioactive compounds of dandelion. This study intended to explore the effect of fermented dandelion (FD) on production performance, meat quality, immune function, and intestinal microbiota of broiler chickens. One-hundred and twenty 1-day-old male Arbor Acres broiler chickens were randomly allotted into three treatments: CON (basal diet, control), LFD and HFD (basal diet with 500 and 1000 mg/kg FD, respectively), with five replicates of eight birds each. The experiment lasted for 42 days.ResultsThe results showed that birds in HFD group had increased ADG during 1–21 days (P < 0.05). On day 21, the bursa of Fabricius index of birds in LFD group was higher (P < 0.05), while the serum contents of IFN-γ and TNF-ɑ were lower in HFD group (P < 0.05). FD supplementation decreased the observed_species, shannon, chao1 and ace indexes (P < 0.05) as well as the abundance of Bacteroidota, Bacteroides, and Alistipes (P < 0.05). Birds in HFD group had higher abundance of Firmicutes and lower abundance of Verrucomicrobiota (P < 0.05). LFD group had lower abundance of unidentified_bacteria (P < 0.05). On day 42, the abdominal fat yield of HFD group was decreased (P < 0.05). Birds in LFD group had lower L* and b* values of breast muscle (P < 0.05), while higher spleen index. The CAT activities of breast muscle of FD groups were higher (P < 0.05).ConclusionIn summary, dietary FD supplementation at 1000 mg/kg improved production performance and immune function and modulated microbiota composition in ileum of broiler chickens. FD can be supplemented in the diet to enhance performance and health of broiler chickens, of which 1000 mg/kg FD is more effective.

The effects of different levels of postbiotic and phytobiotic combination as feed additives on carcass, lipid profile, meat quality, and tibia bone in broiler chickens

Like probiotics, postbiotics function without the presence of living cells and are composed of bacteriocins and metabolites that are antibacterial. They improve chicken products and health by reducing acidity in the gut and preventing infectious diseases. A total of 288 one-day-old unsexed broiler birds (Ross308) were divided into sex-specific treatment groups, with each group having four replicates and each replicate containing twelve birds.The treatment groups were as follows: T1 = Standard diet (negative control), T2 = Standard diet + 0.01% doxin200 (positive control), T3 (0.1%) = Standard diet + 0.05% thyme oil + 0.05% postbiotic, T4(0.2%) = Standard diet + 0.1% thyme oil + 0.1% postbiotic, T5(0.3%) = Standard diet + 0.15% thyme oil + 0.15% postbiotic, T6 (0.4%) = Standard diet + 0.2% thyme oil + 0.2% postbiotic. The results showed significantly (P&lt;0.05) increased breast cuts and a decrease in back cuts, in birds given varied levels of combined postbiotic and phytobiotic (0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, and 0.4%) compared to the negative and positive controls. Serum levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides showed significant reductions, and there was an increase in HDL among all groups of birds that received different levels of dietary supplements, as compared to the positive and negative control. The meat cooking loss rate was significantly reduced in birds fed at a 0.4% level compared to all experimental groups. No significant differences (P &gt; 0.05) in meat color were noticed by feed additives compared to the positive control and stayed within the normal range. Various levels of the combination diet significantly improved tibia bone health, especially at a level of 0.4% (T6). In conclusions, a level of 0.4% combined (0.2% postbiotics+ 0.2% phytobiotics(thyme oil) as viable alternatives to antibiotics in broiler diets.

Dietary supplementation of low levels of unprocessed Mucuna pruriens utilis seed meal induces mild antinutritional entero-physio-metabolic perturbations without compromising performance and meat quality in finisher broilers

The rapidly growing world human population accentuates the need for improved production especially of protein-rich food. Broiler meat production offers opportunity to ensure security of this food. However, the production of modern broilers is not only limited by high feed costs due to dietary use of expensive energy and protein sources but also their meat possesses undesirable quality attributes. This study thus examined the effect of dietary Mucuna pruriens utilis seed meal (MSM) on growth performance, blood profile, carcass traits, and meat quality in finisher broiler chickens. In a completely randomised design (CRD), 320 21-day-old chicks were randomly allocated to 32 pens in which they were allotted 4 dietary treatments with 0, 2.5, 5, and 10% MSM, each with 8 replicate pens of 10 birds, for 28 days. Growth performance, carcass characteristics, internal organs, haemato-biochemistry, and meat quality were measured. Results showed that dietary MSM did not affect (P > 0.05) broiler performance, weights, and lengths of carcass cuts and internal organs, haematology, and meat quality. The only exception was MSM-induced increase in duodenal weight (linear, P < 0.05) and serum phosphorus (quadratic, P = 0.05) in contrast to a decrease in procalcitonin (quadratic, P < 0.01) and serum levels of total protein (linear, P < 0.05; and quadratic, P < 0.01), albumin (quadratic, P < 0.05), and bilirubin (quadratic, P = 0.001). Therefore, MSM could be supplemented up to 10% without compromising performance, carcass traits, internal organs, haemato-biochemistry, and meat quality in finisher broiler diets.

Effects of dietary incorporation of Radix rehmanniae praeparata polysaccharide on growth performance, digestive physiology, blood metabolites, meat quality, and tibia characteristics in broiler chickens

Radix rehmanniae preparata polysaccharide (RRPP) is recognized as the primary bioactive compound in Radix rehmanniae preparata and has been extensively utilized in traditional Chinese medicine and functional food due to its diverse biological activities. However, this study has yet to explore the application of RRPP as a feed additive in broilers. This study investigated the effects of dietary RRPP on growth performance, meat quality, and physiological responses of broiler chickens. Two hundred eighty-eight 1-day-old Cobb 500 male broilers were randomly assigned to the 4 experimental groups with 6 replications and 12 birds/replicate. The 4 groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with 4 concentrations of RRPP (0, 300, 600, and 900 mg/kg, respectively). All RRPP levels did not affect the growth performance of broilers during the starter period (1-21 d), while during the grower (22-35 d) and overall (1-35 d) periods, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and European production efficiency index were linearly improved (P < 0.05) by incorporating RRPP at 600 and 900 mg/kg. Carcass characteristics, relative weight and length of intestinal segments, and meat quality and tibia criteria were not affected by dietary incorporation of RRPP. Dietary RRPP led to a linear increase (P < 0.05) in serum alkaline phosphatase, potassium, calcium and sulfhydryl levels, while reducing concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, LDL, triglycerides and total cholesterol. The addition of RRPP decreased (P < 0.05) the pH of the ileum and cecum at 21 and 35 d of age while not changing in the remaining intestinal segments. Dietary RRPP at 600 and 900 mg/kg linearly and quadratically (P < 0.05) increased the tibia ash content in chicken at 21 and 35 d of age. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of RRPP improved broiler chicken's growth, gut physiology, and tibia ash content, particularly at 600 and 900 mg/kg.

MiR-128-3p inhibits intramuscular adipocytes differentiation in chickens by downregulating FDPS

BackgroundIntramuscular fat (IMF) content is the major indicator for evaluating chicken meat quality due to its positive correlation with tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. An increasing number of studies are focusing on the functions of microRNAs (miRNAs) in intramuscular adipocyte differentiation. However, little is known about the association of miR-128-3p with intramuscular adipocyte differentiation. Our previous RNA-seq results indicated that miR-128-3p was differentially expressed at different periods in chicken intramuscular adipocytes, revealing a possible association with intramuscular adipogenesis. The purpose of this research was to investigate the biological functions and regulatory mechanism of miR-128-3p in chicken intramuscular adipogenesis.ResultsThe results of a series of assays confirmed that miR-128-3p could promote the proliferation and inhibit the differentiation of intramuscular adipocytes. A total of 223 and 1,050 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the mimic treatment group and inhibitor treatment group, respectively, compared with the control group. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that the DEGs were involved in lipid metabolism-related pathways, such as the MAPK and TGF-β signaling pathways. Furthermore, target gene prediction analysis showed that miR-128-3p can target many of the DEGs, such as FDPS, GGT5, TMEM37, and ASL2. The luciferase assay results showed that miR-128-3p targeted the 3’ UTR of FDPS. The results of subsequent functional assays demonstrated that miR-128-3p acted as an inhibitor of intramuscular adipocyte differentiation by targeting FDPS.ConclusionmiR-128-3p inhibits chicken intramuscular adipocyte differentiation by downregulating FDPS. Our findings provide a theoretical basis for the study of lipid metabolism and reveal a potential target for molecular breeding to improve meat quality.

The use of probiotic in chicken-broilers feeding

Biologically active feed additives of natural origin that do not hurt the body are increasingly used in poultry farming, making it possible to produce safe food products. It is known that probiotics are preparations of microbial origin that manifest their properties through the regulation of intestinal microflora. The primary mechanism of action of probiotics is to populate the gastrointestinal tract with strains of beneficial bacteria that displace opportunistic microflora from the intestinal biocenosis. The experiment aimed to establish the effect of probiotic feed additives on the productivity, slaughter performance, and meat quality of broiler chickens. Following the purpose of the research, a scientific and economic experiment was conducted on two similar groups of broiler chickens of the “Cobb-500” cross from one day to 42 days of age, with 20 heads in each group according to the experiment scheme. The experiment lasted 42 days. With the use of a feed additive in feeding broiler chickens of the 2nd group, the live weight increased by 11.9 % (Р ≤ 0.001) compared to the control group. It was found that under the influence of the supplement, the average daily growth in broiler chickens of the 2nd group was higher by 12.1 %, absolute by 12.2 % (Р ≤ 0.001) compared to control peers during the entire experiment period. In addition, in the 2nd group of broilers, feed consumption per 1 kg of growth is reduced by 8.9 % compared to the control. The use of a feed additive in the feeding of broiler chickens of the 2nd group increases the pre-slaughter live weight by 12.0 % (Р ≤ 0.001), the weight of an uncut carcass by 12.1 % (Р ≤ 0.001), half-cut carcass by 9.9 % (Р ≤ 0.01) and by 13.3 % (Р ≤ 0.001) relative to the control value. With the consumption of the investigated feed additive in broilers of the 2nd group, the level of total moisture in the pectoral muscles increased by 1.3 % (Р ≤ 0.05), and in the femoral muscles, the hygromoisture level was higher by 0.2 % (Р ≤ 0.05) and the amount of nitrogen by 0.2 % (Р ≤ 0.05), compared to the control group.

Green extract of pomegranate peel (Punica granatum L.) obtained by ultrasound assisted extraction and its preservative properties on raw chicken burgers

Meat is essential to the diet; its components provide necessary nutrients for body functioning. Chicken has been the most purchased protein, having high preference among consumers globally; nevertheless, the chicken industry faces a significant challenge to preserve the quality of chicken meat and the safety of consumers. Pomegranate peel (Punica granatum L.), as a by-product, is an excellent source of phenolic compounds with preservative properties, and ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) is a sustainable extraction method that can be applied to this by-product, enhancing the extraction potential of safety solvents as water. Previously, our teamwork identified the optimum conditions of ultrasound extraction and the best antioxidant extracts of pomegranate peel. This study evaluated the effect of ultrasound-assisted pomegranate peel extract (PPE 0.1% and 1.0%) on pH, color, shear force, TBARS, and protein oxidation of chicken burgers during 16 days under two storage conditions (4 ± 1 °C and −18 ± 1 °C). The comparative and discriminant analysis showed that PPE 1.0%, time, and freezing conditions significantly preserved the quality of the chicken burgers. The principal component analysis showed a strong relationship between pH, TBARS, and shear force with the samples at 12 and 16 days of exposure. Results show the potential use of PPE as an antioxidant in raw chicken burgers, inhibiting lipid and protein oxidation and preserving chicken burgers.

An innovative application developed to determine the blood output of chickens and its impact on the meat quality in poultry slaughtering

Optimizing blood loss during the slaughtering process is crucial for obtaining high-quality meat, as the presence of meat blood can lead to a reduction in shelf life and negative sensory evaluation by consumers. Moreover, the high water and nutritional content of the meat, along with its appropriate pH value, necessitate careful consideration of the remaining blood, as it can support microbial spoilage of chicken meat. In this context the effects of making an extra cut on conventionally halal-slaughtered broiler's leg which had an extra cut at the cartilage point where the drumstick and the claw part meet, before the bloodletting process were analysed. The results of the analysis indicate that making an additional cut on the drumsticks does not adversely affect the overall quality of chicken meat. Determination of peroxide value (PV) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) analyses were performed to analyze the degree of lipid oxidation. The PV and the TBARS value were higher in the drumsticks which have extra cut compared to the uncut samples. L*, a*, and b* values of extra cut thigh meats are higher. However, considering the storage period, the ninth day values in the cut thigh meats were found to be lower than the first day results of the chickens drumsticks do not have an extra cut procedure. As the storage period of chicken drumsticks progressed, as expected, the L* value decreased, while a* value and b* value increased over time. As regards sexes of broilers, it was observed that the Pseudomonas spp of female broilers with extra cut in the cartilage tissue of their legs on d 1 was significantly higher than the male broilers. These findings suggest that this innovative method holds significant potential for widespread application.

Effect of reduced crude protein diets supplemented with free limiting amino acids on body weight, carcass yield, and breast meat quality in broiler chickens

This study investigated the effect of reducing dietary crude protein (CP) content in the grower and finisher diets of broiler chickens on breast meat quality, muscle protein functionality, growth, carcass yield, and meat yield. To achieve this, a total of 1,269 one-day-old male Ross 308 chicks were fed 1 of 3 diets replicated 9 times each in a randomized complete block design with 9 blocks. The diets included a control (20.4% and 19.5% CP in the grower and finisher phase, respectively), a diet with a 1.5% reduction (CP-1.5%) and a diet with a 3.0% reduction (CP-3.0%) in CP content in both the grower and finisher phases. At the end of the experiment, the reduced-CP diets had no impact on body weight, feed intake, or feed conversion ratio. However, reduced-CP diet resulted in reduced (P < 0.001) total nitrogen intake (-7.46 and -11.94% in CP-1.5% and CP-3.0%, respectively). Breast meat quality was assessed (n=36 birds/group), and the experimental diets were associated with a slightly increased (P=0.07) ultimate pH (5.75, 5.79, and 5.81 for the control, CP-1.5%, and CP-3.0%, respectively). Breast fillets from the CP-1.5% and CP-3.0% groups had lower yellowness (b*, P < 0.001) and lower cooking loss (CL, P < 0.001) values than the control. Moreover, the solubility, emulsion activity, and stability indices of the sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar fractions of muscle proteins were not influenced by the diets. CP-1.5% and CP-3.0% diets were associated with an increased (P < 0.001) breast yield (18.39, 19.21, and 19.61% for the control, CP-1.5%, and CP-3.0%, respectively) while leg yield remained unchanged. Additionally, breast meat nutritional properties including protein and lipid contents were not impacted by the experimental diets. In conclusion, the CP content in the grower and finisher diets of broiler chickens can be reduced by as much as 3.0% without detrimental effects on performance or on meat quality as long as birds' amino acid requirements are adequately met.