Effects of dietary supplementation with carnosine on meat quality and antioxidant capacity in broiler chickens

1. This study aimed to investigate the effects of carnosine supplementation on meat quality, antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation status in broiler chickens.

2. A total of 256 1-d-old male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly assigned to 4 treatments consisting of 8 replicates of 8 chickens each. The birds were supplied with 4 different diets: a basal diet or a basal diet supplemented with 100, 200 or 400 mg/kg carnosine, respectively. The whole experiment lasted 42 d.

3. The results showed that dietary supplementation with carnosine linearly increased the values of pH_45 min and redness and reduced drip loss of breast meat. Dietary carnosine increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes in liver, serum and breast meat and decreased the contents of lipid peroxides at 21 and 42 d of age.

4. These findings indicated that dietary supplementation with carnosine was beneficial to enhance meat quality, antioxidant capacity and decrease lipid peroxidation status of breast meat.     

Effect of dietary supplementation of hemp seed (Cannabis sativa L.) on meat quality and egg fatty acid composition of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

This study was conducted in two separate experiments. Experiment I was conducted to investigate the effects of hemp seed (HS) on meat quality traits, and experiment II was designed to determine egg fatty acid (FA) composition in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). In experiment I and experiment II treatments, groups were as follows: (i) control (not included HS0), (ii) 5% HS inclusion to diets, (iii) 10% HS inclusion to diets and (iv) 20% HS inclusion to diets. In experiment I, a total of 192 7‐day‐old‐quail were fed with HS diets for 5 weeks, and end of the experiment I, a total of 64 quail (16 each) slaughtered and meat samples were analysed for meat colour, pH, cooking and thawing loss and FA composition. In experiment II, a total of 120 8‐week‐old laying quail were fed with experimental diets for 6 weeks and egg FA composition were determined. Breast meat cooking loss was significantly lower in 20% supplemented group (p < 0.01). Hemp seed inclusion to diets caused a linear and cubic increase in redness (a*) of hip meat (p < 0.01). Palmitoleic and oleic FAs were decreased with HS addition in breast meat (p < 0.05); however, linoleic and linolenic acid contents of meat were linearly increased (p < 0.01). In experiment II, the linoleic and linolenic FA contents of egg samples were linearly increased with increasing the dietary HS ratio (p < 0.01). Hemp seed addition was provided lower palmitoleic and oleic FAs in quail eggs (p < 0.05). In conclusion, HS supplementation to quail diets may increase quail meat redness and meat and egg yolk omega‐3 FA content and decrease cooking loss of quail meats.     

Effect of essential oil supplementation to diet on meat quality,fatty acid composition,performance parameters and intestinal microbiota of Japanese quails

The effect of essential oil (EO) supplementation on carcass characteristics of Japanese quails and interactions between ingredients and intestinal morphology were investigated in this study. A total of 250 quails were fed different diet: D1, basal diet (BD); D2, BD plus palmarosa oil (PO; 100 µg/kg diet); D3, BD plus lemon myrtle oil (LMO; 100 µg/kg diet); D4, BD plus α-Tops (mixture of α-terpineol, cineole and terpinene-4-ol; 100 µg/kg diet); and D5, BD plus cyclodextrin. Overall growth performance was determined at multiple time points during 35 days of experiment. Carcass characteristics (fatty acid, pH and colour), intestinal morphology and the expression levels of meat quality-related genes including the insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), myogenin and avian uncoupling protein (avUCP) were examined at the end of the trial. Additionally, intestinal microbiome of quails was studied by next-generation sequencing-based culture-independent analysis. Although the inclusion of EOs into the diet had no effect on the growth performance of quails and the microbial profile, the significant changes in pH₂₄ and colour (a*) of the quail's breast muscle (p < .05) in the group receiving PO were observed. Additionally, oleic acid content in the breast muscle was significantly higher in the EOs supplemented groups (p < .01). Quails fed the PO supplemented diet had higher villus and relatively rich in oleic acid. The expression levels of IGF-1 and myogenin genes in quail's muscle were not affected, but the expression of avUCP gene was significantly lower in quails fed with LMO and α-Tops (p < .05). The results demonstrated variable effects of these treatments on intestinal morphology. Taken together, dietary inclusion of EOs is found to be beneficial and hence can be recommended for improving the quality of poultry meat.     

子午岭黑山羊与辽宁绒山羊产肉性能、肉品质、肌肉营养成分和脂肪酸含量比较

1990年,甘肃省庆阳市开始引入辽宁绒山羊对子午岭黑山羊进行杂交改良,但目前尚不清楚2个品种在脂肪酸含量、肌肉营养成分等方面的差异,影响了杂交改良效果。试验旨在分析两个绒山羊品种的产肉性能、肉品质、肌肉营养成分和脂肪酸含量差异,为绒山羊的杂交改良提供理论依据。本研究选取相同饲养管理条件下、9月龄的子午岭黑山羊和辽宁绒山羊公羊各5只,测定其屠宰性能以及背最长肌、前腿肌和后腿肌处的肉品质、脂肪酸含量和肌肉营养成分。结果表明：子午岭黑山羊的胴体重、屠宰率、净肉重、净肉率、眼肌面积、GR值、剪切力和滴水损失低于辽宁绒山羊（P<0.05）,但其肌肉的平均亮度值、色度值、pH₁和pH₂₄高于辽宁绒山羊（P<0.01）。营养成分测定结果表明,子午岭黑山羊肌肉的水分和粗灰分含量高于辽宁绒山羊（P<0.05）,但肌内脂肪和粗蛋白含量低于辽宁绒山羊。在2个山羊品种的肌肉中均检测到11 种饱和脂肪酸（SFA,以棕榈酸和硬脂酸为主）、10种多不饱和脂肪酸（PUFA,以亚油酸和顺-11,14-二十碳二烯酸为主）和6种单不饱和脂肪酸（MUFA,以油酸为主）,子午岭黑山羊肉中的SFA、PUFA、n-3 PUFA、n-6 PUFA含量和PUFA/SFA值均高于辽宁绒山羊（P<0.01）,但MUFA含量低于辽宁绒山羊（P<0.01）。结果表明,辽宁绒山羊有更高的产肉力,但子午岭黑山羊肌肉品质和营养成分更佳,脂肪酸组成和含量更符合人类健康膳食标准。     

日粮添加马铃薯粉对育肥猪生长性能、胴体性状和肉品质的影响

本研究旨在评估非常规饲料资源马铃薯粉在育肥猪上的应用,研究其对猪生长性能、胴体性状和肉品质的影响.试验将450头体重一致的育肥猪随机分为3组,每组5个重复,每个重复30只.对照组饲喂基础日粮,两个处理组分别饲喂马铃薯粉添加水平为10％和20％的日粮,试验为期56?d.结果:与对照组相比,10％马铃薯粉组29～56?d及...     

Effects of increasing amount of dietary Prosopis laevigata pods on performance,meat quality and fatty acid profile in growing lambs

A study with finishing lambs assessed the effect of dietary inclusion of Prosopis laevigata pods (PLPs) on performance, carcass characteristics, meat traits and fatty acid profile of subcutaneous fat. Twenty‐one Rambouillet lambs (27.0 ± 3.0 kg BW) were assigned to one of three experimental diets with 0, 150 and 300 g PLP/kg DM. Evaluation of growth performance lasted 49 days. The experimental design was completely randomized and analysed with a mixed model. Lambs fed diets with 0, 150 and 300 g PLP had similar growth performance. Lambs fed diets with 300 g PLP/kg DM had better (p < 0.05) carcass yield and classification, less (p < 0.05) fat deposition and lower lightness (L*) value (p < 0.05) in meat than lambs fed diets with 0 and 150 g PLP/kg DM. Saturated fatty acids (palmitic and stearic) decreased (p < 0.05) and unsaturated fatty acids (oleic and linoleic) increased (p < 0.05) in subcutaneous fat of lambs fed diets with 150 and 300 g pods as compared with lambs not fed PLP. Prosopis laevigata pods are a safe feedstuff that can replace a third of conventional ingredients and reduce feed costs in growing lambs. Addition of PLP reduced (p < 0.05) total feed cost by 21%.     

Effect of a dietary supplementation with linseed oil and selenium to growing rabbits on their productive performances,carcass traits and fresh and cooked meat quality

The present experiment tested a dietary supplementation with linseed oil and selenium to growing rabbits. The basal diet (B) contained 3% sunflower oil, while it was substituted with 3% linseed oil in the experimental feed (S). The selenium (Se) content of the two diets was 0.10 vs. 0.46 mg/kg. Rabbits were fed with B diet from the age of 18 days. One group was fed with the B diet until 11 weeks of age (group B), whereas the experimental groups were fed with S diet for 1, 2, 3 or 4 weeks (groups S1, S2, S3 and S4, respectively), before slaughtering (11 weeks of age). Live performance and carcass traits of rabbits, fatty acid (FA) profile and selenium content of their hind leg (HL) and Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) meat were considered in this study. In addition, the effect of two different cooking methods on the nutritional value of the enriched HL meat was also assessed. The tested dietary supplementation only minimally affected the live performance and carcass traits of rabbits. The S supplementation significantly reduced the Σ n‐6 FA and increased the Σ n‐3 FA of the HL meat and LTL meat, compared to the B diet (p < 0.001); thus, n‐6/n‐3 ratio was improved (p < 0.001). In addition, HL meat and LTL meat of S fed rabbits were significantly enriched in Se reaching a twofold increase in both meat cuts (p < 0.01). Therefore, the S supplementation improved the functional value of the rabbit meat. The heat treatment affected cooking loss, Se and vitamin E contents as well as the oxidative status of the HL meat (p < 0.001), with the different cooking methods providing different results. In addition, even if the beneficial C20:5 n‐3 and C22:6 n‐3 decreased with cooking, the n‐6/n‐3 ratio remained unaffected.     

茶多酚对生长猪机体维生素E状态、抗氧化性能及肉质的影响

日粮添加维生素E对降低动物脂质过氧化具有重要作用,可以改善动物肉品质及动物健康状况。本试验在日粮中添加不同水平的茶多酚,研究其对生长猪维生素E状态、血浆抗氧化性能及肉质的影响。选择240头平均体重为(31.24±0.48)kg的三元猪,随机分为3组,每组4个重复,每个重复20头猪。试验共设计3种日粮,对照组饲喂基础日粮,处理组在基础日粮中分别添加10和100 mg/kg茶多酚,试验共进行5周。结果显示:各处理组对生长猪试验初期和末期血浆总抗氧化力和铁还原力均无显著影响(P> 0.05),但对照组、10和100 mg/kg茶多酚添加组血浆试验末期铁还原力均显著高于试验初期(P <0.05)。日粮添加茶多酚对生长猪肝脏、肌肉、血浆α-生育酚和γ-生育酚含量均无显著影响(P> 0.05),其中肝脏生育酚含量最高,之后依次是肌肉、肺和血浆。日粮添加10或100 mg/kg茶多酚,肺中α-生育酚和γ-生育酚含量较对照组有提高趋势(P=0.09)。各组对生长猪肉质均无显著影响(P> 0.05)。日粮添加100 mg/kg茶多酚较对照组提高了生长猪屠宰后48 h肌肉的滴水损失。综上所述:生长猪日粮添加茶多酚对组织维生素E水平、血浆抗氧化力及肌肉品质无显著改善作用。     

Effect of dietary kapok oil supplementation on growth performance,carcass traits,meat quality and sensory traits of pork in finishing‐pigs

Kapok seed and oil from the tropical zone are widely used as pig feed to harden porcine fat in Japan. This study evaluated the effect of dietary kapok oil supplementation on pork quality and sensory traits. Five Duroc pigs each were assigned to an experimental group supplemented with kapok oil and a control group. Dietary kapok oil supplementation had no effect on growth performance and intramuscular fat content in the Longissimus dorsi muscle (LM). Supplemental kapok oil increased saturated fatty acid contents in subcutaneous and intramuscular fat and decreased monounsaturated fatty acid levels (P < 0.05). Off‐flavor detection by a trained panel was higher in the experimental than the control group (P < 0.05), but tenderness, juiciness, texture and flavor intensity of LM chops were similar in both groups. The overall palatability of pork as judged by a consumer panel decreased with kapok oil supplementation (P < 0.01). These results indicate that while growth performance, intramuscular fat contents and carcass characteristics were unchanged, while dietary kapok oil supplementation makes firm fat to prevent inferior soft fat in pork, it can lower the palatability of pork due to a decrease in monounsaturated fatty acids.     

饲粮中添加桑叶干粉对彭县黄鸡肉质的影响

为研究日粮中添加桑叶干粉对彭县黄鸡鸡肉品质的影响,本试验采用360只102日龄彭县黄鸡,随机分为5组,分别饲喂添加0%、3%、6%、9%、12%桑叶干粉的饲粮,正试期47d,试验结束进行鸡肉品质测定。结果表明:饲粮中添加桑叶干粉组肌肉肉色a^*值较对照组分别提高20.44%(P>0.05)、14.57%(P>0.05)、50%(P<0.05)和54.25%(P<0.05);滴水损失较对照组分别降低0.53%(P<0.05)、0.25%(P>0.05)、0.50%(P<0.05)和0.43%(P<0.05);各试验组肌内脂肪含量分别较对照组降低1.48%、1.28%、0.70%和0.68%(P<0.05);桑叶粉添加组饱和脂肪酸(SFA)、单不饱和脂肪酸(MUFA)含量较对照组均显著降低(P<0.05)。综上说明,桑叶干粉可应用于肉鸡养殖,改善鸡肉品质。     

日粮添加海藻对肉牛生长性能和肉品质的影响

文章旨在评估海藻在肉牛上的应用,研究其对肉牛生长性能、血清生化和肉品质的影响.试验选择平均初始体重为(600.09±1.73)kg的荷斯坦肉牛16头,随机分为2组,每组4个重复,每个重复2头.对照组饲喂以玉米和青贮玉米为主的日粮,处理组饲喂与对照组营养水平相近的日粮,但日粮中添加15 g/kg海藻粉.试验共进行20周....     

Effects of dietary oregano and garlic essential oils on carcass characteristics,meat composition,colour, pH and sensory quality of broiler meat

1. An experiment was conducted to determine the individual and combined effects of two essential oils, oregano and garlic, on carcass characteristics, meat composition, colour, pH and sensory quality of broiler meat.

2. The diets were supplemented with no essential oil (control), oregano essential oil or garlic essential oil at 300 mg/kg and oregano essential oil at 150 mg/kg + garlic essential oil at 150 mg/kg.

3. Dietary oregano and garlic oil supplementation did not affect carcass yields, the relative weight of carcass parts, breast and thigh meat composition, pH or b* value of breast meat. Oregano + garlic oil supplementation significantly decreased the L* value. The a* value of breast meat in birds given a diet supplemented with oregano oil was lower than that in birds given a diet supplemented with garlic oil and oregano oil + garlic oil. The essential oil addition had no positive effect on the oxidative stability. There was no difference between the treatments in breast appearance.

4. The juiciness, flavour, oxidised flavour and acceptability of breast meat samples were affected by treatments.     

Effects of pearl millet silage ammoniation with urea on carcass and meat quality of lambs

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of pearl millet silage ammoniated with urea on lamb carcass characteristics and meat quality. Thirty‐two noncastrated crossbred lambs at 4–5 months of age, with an average initial body weight of 17.39 ± 2.16 kg, were distributed into four treatments in a randomized block experimental design with eight animals per treatment. Experimental diets were composed of pearl millet silage ammoniated with four levels of urea (0%, 2%, 4% and 6%, on dry matter basis (DM). Carcass conformation and fatness decreased linearly (p < 0.05). Except for the fat content, the proximate composition was not influenced (p < 0.05) by the diets. Meat lightness and yellowness increased linearly (p < 0.05). There was no effect of diets (p > 0.05) on cooking losses or shear force. The levels of oleic and erucic fatty acid levels in the meat decreased linearly (p < 0.05), whereas linoleic and eicosadienoic acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, PUFA:SFA ratio and ω6 contents increased (p < 0.05). Pearl millet silage ammoniated with urea allows for the production of good‐quality lamb meat, with greater concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acids. However, lambs fed diets with pearl millet ammoniated with up to 6% lead to a reduction of carcass characteristics without significantly affecting loin‐eye area possibly associated with low palatability of the additive used. The lower acceptance of the silages with higher levels of urea is due to the ammonia retention in the material is attributed to the ammonization process. Thus, in spite of the benefits on lamb meat quality, it is suggested that the use of this additive in the ammonization of tropical forages be carried out with care, in limits of up to 6%.     

Effect of nutritive level on carcass traits and meat quality of IHDH foals

The present work describes the effect of nutritive level on horse carcass traits and on meat quality. Eighteen male Italian Heavy Draught Horse (IHDH) breed foals were employed in the study. Soon after foaling they were randomly subdivided into three groups according to three nutritive level classes: 150%, 180% and 200% of maintenance requirements. Live weight, hot carcass weight and dressing percentage of each animal were recorded. After slaughtering, meat samples were collected from Longissimus dorsi muscle. The right half carcass of each animal was then divided into cuts. Each one was subdivided into lean, fat and bones. Live weight, carcass weight and dressing percentage were not affected by nutritive level (P > 0.05). Horses fed with the lower nutritive level showed a higher incidence of lean and a lower incidence of fat (P < 0.01). Moreover, fatty acid profile was not affected by nutritive level (P > 0.05). Probably the tendency of IHDH foals to concentrate adipogenesis in the subcutaneous district could explain the lack of influence of nutritive level on meat quality parameters and its influence on carcass and cut composition, which tend to be richer in fat.     

牛至油对育肥猪生长性能和肉品质的影响

文章旨在研究不同浓度的牛至油对肥育猪生长性能和肉质特性的影响。试验选择32头阉割公猪和32头后备母猪随机分成4个组,对照组饲喂基础日粮,试验组分别在基础日粮中添加0.2、0.4和0.8mg/kg牛至油,试验共开展5周。试验结束后禁食12h,称重后屠宰。经过一夜的冷却,从屠体上取50cm的腰肌(每组8头,4头公猪、4头母猪)。日粮中添加牛至精油对生长猪末重、日增重、屠宰率均无显著差异(P>0.05),同时各组最长肌嫩度、屠宰后45min和24h后的pH、肉色及感官特性也无显著差异(P>0.05)。此外,脂质氧化试验结果显示,日粮添加牛至油对肌肉无明显的抗氧化作用(P>0.05)。综上所述,由于胴体和肉质属性均无显著变化,说明本试验中日粮添加不同水平牛至油对猪的肉质参数没有影响。     

Effects of a protected inclusion of organic acids and essential oils as antibiotic growth promoter alternative on growth performance,intestinal morphology and gut microflora in broilers

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of protected essential oils and organic acids mixture on poultry feeding. A total of 450 1‐day‐old Cobb 500 chicks were randomly allotted into three treatments with six replicates. Birds were offered a basal diet (C), basal diet with 0.15 g/kg enramycin premix (A) and basal diet with 0.30 g/kg protected essential oils and organic acids mixture product (P). The results showed that protected essential oils and organic acids mixture supplementation reduced average daily feed intake and ratio of feed to gain (F/G) at 22–42 days of age, and F/G during 1–42 days of age also declined (P < 0.05). Product supplementation improved spleen index, villus height and crypt depth of the jejunum at 42 days when compared with the control (P < 0.05). In addition, secretory immunoglobulin A level of ileal mucosa and trypsin and chymotrypsin activities of intestinal tract were higher in the P treatment. Bacterial sequence analysis of the intestinal tract revealed that protected essential oils and organic acids mixture supplementation changed gut microflora mainly in Lactobacillus. These data suggested that dietary mixture of organic acids and essential oils addition could be used in the poultry industry as an antibiotic growth promoter alternative.     

Effects of dietary supplementation of resveratrol on performance,egg quality,yolk cholesterol and antioxidant enzyme activity of laying hens

1. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of resveratrol on laying performance, egg quality, egg yolk cholesterol and antioxidant enzyme activities of laying hens.

2. A total of 360 Beijing PINK-1 laying hens (60 weeks old) were randomly distributed among five dietary treatments, each of which included 6 replicates of 12 hens. Dietary treatments were basal diet supplemented with 0 (control), 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 g/kg diet resveratrol. The study lasted for 9 weeks including 1 week of adaptation and 8 weeks of the main experimental period.

3. The results indicated that dietary resveratrol significantly improved feed conversion ratios during 5–8 weeks and 1–8 weeks of the trial. Increasing dietary concentrations of the resveratrol linearly improved Haugh unit and albumen height of eggs.

4. The content of total cholesterol (TC), total triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) in serum and cholesterol in yolk was significantly decreased by dietary resveratrol, and there were significant linear correlations between these indexes and resveratrol supplemental levels.

5. Dietary resveratrol supplementation significantly improved serum Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) enzyme activity and decreased serum malondialdehyde (MDA) content in groups with 2.0 and 4.0 g/kg resveratrol as compared to the control, respectively. However, supplementation of resveratrol did not affect the activity of serum superoxide dismutase (SOD).

6. It is concluded that resveratrol supplementation has a positive effect on performance, lipid-related traits and antioxidant activity of laying hens.