Effects of supplementation with α-tocopherol, ascorbic acid, selenium, or their combination in linseed oil-enriched diets on the oxidative status in broilers

The effect of vitamin C and aspirin supplementation on the performance of turkeys under normal conditions

This study aimed to investigate the effect of vitamin C and aspirin on the growth performance of turkeys under normal conditions. For this purpose, 288 male turkeys, BUT6 strain, were used from 1-day-old to 12 weeks of age in nine treatments with four replications and eight birds per replication, as a 3 × 3 factorial experiment [three levels of vitamin C (V; 0, 250, and 500 mg/kg feed), and three levels of aspirin (A; 0, 75, and 150 mg/kg feed)] in a completely randomized design. Our results demonstrated that supplementing with vitamin C and aspirin had no effect on plasma total protein and albumin levels, but the data revealed significant effects on total cholesterol, triglycerides, very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels in the supplemental groups. Also, the interaction of vitamin C and aspirin significantly increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and decreased plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and abdominal fat pad. The results of this study indicated the beneficial effects of vitamin C and aspirin supplements may be related to changes in plasma lipids and body fat under normal conditions.

Selenium and vitamin E ameliorate lead acetate-induced hepatotoxicity in rats via suppression of oxidative stress, mRNA of heat shock proteins, and NF-kB production

BACKGROUND

Lead exposure results in a terrible rise in heat shock protein levels.

OBJECTIVE

This research was conducted to look at the effects of lead poisoning on heat shock response, oxidative stress, and inflammatory markers in albino rats, as well as the power of selenium and vitamin E to resist lead toxic effects.

METHODS

Eight groups of albino rats are used. Each group contained six rats where the first group represented the negative control, and the other groups were treated with olive oil, vitamin E, selenium, lead, (vitamin E + lead), (selenium + lead), and (vitamin E + selenium + lead). All the treatments lasted for 28 days. Then, the mRNA expression of interested heat shock proteins (HSP90, HSP70, and HSP60) was assessed. For oxidative stress disruption, we investigated nitric oxide (NO) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants activity respectively in rat livers.

RESULTS

our results revealed the synergetic protective effect of the combination of two antioxidants (vitamin E and selenium) against lead poising. This was clear in regulating HSPs expression, inflammatory markers, glucose, lipid profile, liver functions, and antioxidant enzymes more than the treatment with one antioxidant.

CONCLUSION

Pb is a toxic material that can induce HSPs and inflammatory markers expression. Selenium and vitamin E can give excellent effects in ameliorating Pb toxicity when used together.

In Vitro Antioxidant Activities of Plant Polyphenol Extracts and Their Combined Effect with Flaxseed on Raw and Cooked Breast Muscle Fatty Acid Content, Lipid Health Indices and Oxidative Stability in Slow-Growing Sasso Chickens

Adding flaxseed was found to decrease oxidative stability in feed and increase the antioxidant needs of chicken. This has also been associated with a decrease in the nutritional value and oxidative stability of meat if sufficient dietary antioxidants are not included. Furthermore, dietary flaxseed has been explored in fast-growing chickens as such studies are limited with slow-growing chickens. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of feeding plant polyphenol extracts as an antioxidant alongside flaxseed on fatty acid content, oxidative stability, and lipid health indices in breast muscle of slow-growing Sasso T451A dual-purpose chicken. A total of 126 chickens assigned to six groups (seven replicates of three) were fed on NC (control and no antioxidants), FS (75 g flaxseed and no antioxidants), VE8 (75 g flaxseed and 800 mg vitamin E), TS8 (75 g flaxseed and 800 mg Thymus schimperi), DA8 (75 g flaxseed and 800 mg Dodonaea angustifolia) and CD8 (75 g flaxseed and 800 mg Curcuma domestica) extract per kg diet. Feeding on CD8 and VE8 in raw and TS8, CD8 and VE8 diets in cooked breast muscle increased (p < 0.05) the C22:6n − 3 (DHA) and C20:5n − 3 (EPA) contents compared to the FS diet. Feeding FS increased (p < 0.05) the malondialdehyde (MDA) content in breast muscle, whereas TS8 in cooked and raw and CD8 and DA8 diets in raw breast muscle decreased it (p < 0.05). No added benefit was observed in feeding VE8 over plant extracts in terms of improving fatty acid composition and lipid health indices and reducing lipid oxidation in breast meat.

Effects of replacing soybean meal with linseed meal in broiler diet on selected broilers’ blood parameters, meat chemical composition, fatty acid profiles, and sensory characteristics

The study was conducted with the objective of determining the effects of the dietary replacement of soybean meal with graded levels of linseed meal on selected blood parameters, meat composition, fatty acid profiles, and meat quality of broiler chickens. Cobb500 broilers were fed diets containing linseed meal at 0% (T1), 6.5% (T2), 13% (T3), 19.5 (T4), and 26% (T5), replacing 0% to 100% soybean meal in compound rations for 45 days. The experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design with five treatments, each replicated three times with 12 birds. Blood hematological indices were not affected (P&gt;0.05) by treatment diets while among the blood biochemistry triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations in T1 were higher (P&lt;0.05) than in T3, T4, and T5. Glucose was higher in T3, T4, and T5 than in T1 and T2 (P&lt;0.01). The breast and thigh proximate composition for crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), ash, carbohydrate, and gross energy were similar (P&gt;0.05) among treatments. The sensory scores for breast and thigh meat samples were not different (P&gt;0.05) among treatments. The palmitic acid content of breast and thigh meat was higher (P&lt;0.05) in T1 and T2 than in the other treatments. Eliadic and stearic acid concentrations in thigh meat were greater (P&lt;0.05) in T1, T2, and T3 than in T4 and T5. The oleic and linoleic acid contents of thigh meat were higher (P&lt;0.05) in T2 and T3 than in the rest of the treatments. Breast linolenic acid was high (P&lt;0.05) in T5 but similar in thigh meat. Total saturated fatty acid (SFA) showed a decreasing trend with an increasing level of linseed meal (LSM) in the ration. The ratio of monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) to SFA for breast and thigh was higher in T4 and T5 than in T1 and T2. Breast meat ratio of omega-6 (n-6) to omega-3 (n-3) showed a decreasing trend as the level of LSM replacement for soybean meal (SBM) in the ration increased. Generally, linseed meal replacement levels up to 26% in the broilers’ diet improves the essential fatty acid content of chicken meat without affecting the proximate composition and the chickens’ normal blood indices and does not alter meat sensory attributes.

The Effect of β-Carotene, Tocopherols and Ascorbic Acid as Anti-Oxidant Molecules on Human and Animal In Vitro/In Vivo Studies: A Review of Research Design and Analytical Techniques Used

Prolonged elevated oxidative stress (OS) possesses negative effect on cell structure and functioning, and is associated with the development of numerous disorders. Naturally occurred anti-oxidant compounds reduce the oxidative stress in living organisms. In this review, antioxidant properties of β-carotene, tocopherols and ascorbic acid are presented based on in vitro, in vivo and populational studies. Firstly, environmental factors contributing to the OS occurrence and intracellular sources of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation, as well as ROS-mediated cellular structure degradation, are introduced. Secondly, enzymatic and non-enzymatic mechanism of anti-oxidant defence against OS development, is presented. Furthermore, ROS-preventing mechanisms and effectiveness of β-carotene, tocopherols and ascorbic acid as anti-oxidants are summarized, based on studies where different ROS-generating (oxidizing) agents are used. Oxidative stress biomarkers, as indicators on OS level and prevention by anti-oxidant supplementation, are presented with a focus on the methods (spectrophotometric, fluorometric, chromatographic, immuno-enzymatic) of their detection. Finally, the application of Raman spectroscopy and imaging as a tool for monitoring the effect of anti-oxidant (β-carotene, ascorbic acid) on cell structure and metabolism, is proposed. Literature data gathered suggest that β-carotene, tocopherols and ascorbic acid possess potential to mitigate oxidative stress in various biological systems. Moreover, Raman spectroscopy and imaging can be a valuable technique to study the effect of oxidative stress and anti-oxidant molecules in cell studies.

Effects of Dietary Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Selenium and Their Combination on Carcass Characteristics, Oxidative Stability and Breast Meat Quality of Broiler Chickens Exposed to Cyclic Heat Stress

Simple Summary

High ambient temperatures present challenging environmental factors in the poultry meat industry, causing heat stress. Heat stress impairs animal health and welfare, growth performance, and productivity, and deteriorates meat quality and its oxidative stability, resulting in economic losses. To mitigate the negative effects of heat stress, several nutritional strategies have been proposed, with vitamin and mineral supplementation being one of the most promising. Several studies reported that the addition of vitamins E and C, as well as selenium, to broiler diets improved the production performance and meat quality of broilers reared under heat stress. Due to the synergistic effects of these antioxidants against the oxidative damage to lipids, combined supplementation could be even more effective in alleviating the symptoms of heat stress on meat quality than supplementation alone, but this has not yet been studied. The results of the present study indicate positive effects of the supplementation with vitamin E on the oxidative stability of breast meat. However, no synergistic effects of the added antioxidants on the measured parameters were observed.

Abstract

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with vitamin E, vitamin C, and Se, alone or in combination, on carcass characteristics, oxidative stability and meat quality parameters of breast meat from broilers exposed to cyclic heat stress (HS), and stored under different conditions. A total of 120 one-day-old male Ross 308 broilers were randomly assigned to six dietary treatments: NRC (minimal nutrition requirements), AVI (commercial nutritional recommendations for Ross 308 broilers), AVI + vitE (as AVI + 200 IU vitamin E/kg feed), AVI + vitC (as AVI + 250 mg vitamin C/kg feed), AVI + Se (as AVI + 0.2 mg Se/kg feed), and AVI + ECSe (as AVI + vitE + vitC + Se). From day 26 onwards, all birds were exposed to a high ambient temperature (31 °C) for 8 h per day. The results showed that dietary vitamin E alone or in combination with vitamin C and Se significantly increased the α-tocopherol content and decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content in breast meat. Although no obvious synergistic effects of the added antioxidants were observed, the addition of higher levels of vitamin E, vitamin C and Se to broiler diets had no adverse effects on carcass traits, oxidative stability and meat quality parameters when supplemented either alone or in combination.

Ginsenoside Rg3 Ameliorates Stress of Broiler Chicks Induced by Escherichia coli Lipopolysaccharide

In broiler chicks, Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide is a prominent cause for inflammatory damage and loss of immune homeostasis in broiler chicks. Ginsenosides have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. However, it has not been demonstrated that ginsenosides protect broiler chicks against stress induced by Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide challenge. The aim of this is to investigate the protective effect of ginsenosides Rg1, Re, and Rg3 on Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide-induced stress. Our results showed that Rg3 ameliorated growth inhibition and fever, as well as decreased the production of stress-related hormones in broilers with stress. The protective effect of Rg3 on the stressed chicks may be largely mediated by regulating inflammatory response and oxidative damage. Moreover, real-time quantitative-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) results demonstrated that Rg3 upregulated mRNA expression of mTOR, HO-1, and SOD-1. These results suggested that ginsenoside Rg3 and ginsenoside products contains Rg3 deserve further study for the control of immunological stress and inflammation in broiler chicks.

The application of ascorbic acid as a therapeutic feed additive to boost immunity and antioxidant activity of poultry in heat stress environment

Ascorbic acid, widely known as vtamin C, is an essential nutrient for animals such as poultry. Ascorbic acid in poultry feed improves animal health and thus increases the growth performance of birds. Ascorbic acid can be used in the form of synthetic products or can be naturally obtained from fruits and plants. It is soluble in water and can be easily administered in drinking water and the diet. Poultry can synthesize ascorbic acid in the body. However, the performance of the animals can be improved by adding ascorbic acid to their diet. In addition, ascorbic acid is called an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory. This increases their resistance to disease during the transition season. Ascorbic acid supplementation positively affects the stress response, especially during the dry season in tropical countries. Furthermore, supplementing ascorbic acid in the poultry’s diet improves resistance to diseases, regulates stress, and helps in the body’s oxidation process. Ultimately, this enhances the laying rate, egg hatch performance, and higher poultry productivity. For layers at the end of the laying period, it helps increase the quality of the eggshell and reduces the proportion of broken eggs. Ascorbic acid has a strong relationship with other vitamins such as vitamin E and other substances such as zinc, safflower oil, folic acid, and a fibrous diet. This review aims to synthesize all the information of ascorbic acid in the poultry’s diet, thereby providing the general role of ascorbic acid for the poultry industry.

The effect of stocking rate and supplementary selenium on the fatty acid composition and subsequent peroxidisability of poultry muscle tissues

Selenium (Se) plays a crucial role in protecting biological materials from oxidative damage through the action of the selenoprotein glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and the effectiveness of this protection is often dependent upon Se supply. Recent evidence has indicated that GSH-Px mRNA expression can be upregulated in response to potential oxidative damage risk, and that this upregulation is independent of Se supply. The current study aimed to determine the effect of Se supplementation, stocking rate and tissue fatty acid profile on GSH-Px activity in breast and thigh tissue of commercial broilers. A total of 168 Ross 308 broiler chicks were enrolled onto the study. Prior to enrolment, birds were brooded as a single group and received a starter diet containing no additional Se. The study was a 2 × 2 factorial design comprising of two levels of dietary Se (high Se, 0.5 mg/kg total Se, low Se background Se only), and two stocking rates (high, 30 kg/m², and low, 15 kg/m²). At 15 days of age, birds were blocked by live weight and randomly allocated to one of the four treatments, with six pen replicates per treatment. At 42 days of age, one bird was randomly selected from each pen replicate, euthanased and breast and thigh tissue harvested. GSH-Px activity, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and fatty acid (FA) content of these tissues were determined. There was no effect (P > 0.05) of stocking rate on GSH-Px activity or TBARS. GSH-Px activity did not differ between tissue types but was greater in high Se birds (P < 0.001) compared to low Se. TBARS concentrations were greater in thigh tissue (P < 0.001), and these thigh concentrations were greater in high Se birds (P < 0.05). There were marked differences between breast and thigh tissue in most FAs (P < 0.001), with breast generally containing greater proportions of polyunsaturated FA, so that breast tissue had a higher (P < 0.001) peroxidisability index (PI) than thigh. A positive correlation between GSH-Px activity and PI in the thigh tissue of high Se birds (Pearson Correlation 0.668; P = 0.025) may indicate that increasing susceptibility to peroxidisation in lipid-rich tissues may also upregulate GSH-Px activity in Se-replete birds. This study suggests that ensuring adequate dietary selenium could be a useful tool to mitigate adverse effects on meat quality caused by oxidation, particularly in lipid-rich meat.

Prophylactic effects of dietary ascorbic acid on oxidative stress indices, physiological and behavioural responses of domestic pigeons exposed to road transport stress

Transport disturbs birds' welfare and health status which lead to oxidative stress and dietary ascorbic acid mitigates the adverse effects of transport stress. The present study was aimed to evaluate the impacts of ascorbic acid administration on oxidative stress indices, cortisol, H/L ratio, tonic immobility reaction and rectal temperature of pigeons exposed to road transport. A total of 80 clinically healthy pigeons were selected and randomly divided to eight equal groups as follow: (1) Ctrl- : fed by basal diet and no subjected to transport stress; (2) Ctrl+: fed by the basal diet and subjected to transport stress; (3, 4) 1DBS10 and 1DBS16: received ascorbic acid from 1 day before transport stress at doses of 10 g/100 L and 16 g/100 L of drinking water, respectively; (5, 6) 3DBS10 and 3DBS16: treated with ascorbic acid from 3 consecutive days before transport stress at doses of 10 g/100 L and 16 g/100 L, respectively and (7, 8) 7DBS10 and 7DBS16: received ascorbic acid from 7 consecutive days before the transport at doses 10 g/100 L and 16 g/100 L, respectively. Birds were transported for 3 h over a distance of about 200 km. The total antioxidant capacity, malondialdehyde and cortisol were measured before transport and at 6, 24 and 72 h post-transportation. The rectal temperature and tunic immobility reactions were recorded. Dietary ascorbic acid led to a decrease in tonic immobility response, hetrophil to lymphocyte ratio, circulating cortisol and total antioxidant capacity, and an increase in circulating malondialdehyde in pigeons exposed to transport stress compare to Ctrl+ group. In conclusion, ascorbic acid administration at dose 16 g/100 L of drinking water from 3 and 7 days before exposure to stress helps attenuate undesirable effects of oxidative stress in pigeons.

Dietary carnosic acid and seleno-compounds change concentrations of fatty acids, cholesterol, tocopherols and malondialdehyde in fat and heart of lambs

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the impact of carnosic acid (CA), selenised yeast (^YSe) and selenate (^VISe) supplemented to diets, including fish oil (FO) and rapeseed oil (RO), on the content of fatty acids, total cholesterol (TCh), tocopherols and malondialdehyde in the fat located between the thigh muscles and the heart in lambs. Twenty-four male Corriedale lambs were divided into 4 groups of 6 animals. Animals were fed a diet with FO and RO (the control diet) or experimental diets containing RO, FO and CA with/without Se (as ^YSe or ^VISe). The experimental diets without/with ^YSe or ^VISe changed concentrations of fatty acids in the fat and heart compared to the control. All experimental diets increased the levels of c11c14C20:2, c5c8c11c14C20:4, c5c8c11c14c17C20:5 and the sums of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LPUFA) and conjugated linoleic acid isomers in the fat compared to the control. The experimental diet containing ^YSe or ^VISe increased the content of Se, TCh, c11c14C20:2, c8c11c14C20:3, c5c8c11c14C20:4, c5c8c11c14c17C20:5, c7c10c13c16c19C22:5, c4c7c10c13c16c19C22:6 and the concentration sum of n-3LPUFA, n-6LPUFA and tocopherols in the heart in comparison with the control diet and the diet containing only CA. Experimental diets reduced the concentration of malondialdehyde in the fat and heart in comparison with the control diet. Our dietary intervention has great potential for future practical and commercial implementations.

The effects of supplementation of Withania coagulans and α-tocopherol acetate in diets containing oxidised oil on growth performance, immune response and antioxidant indices in broiler chickens

This experiment was designed to study the effects of a hydroalcoholic fruit extract from Withania coagulans (WC) and α-tocopherol acetate (α-Toc) in diets containing oxidised oil on growth performance, immune response and antioxidant indices of broiler chickens. The experiment was arranged 2 × 3 × 2 factorial comprising the oxidised oil (0% and 2% diet), WC (0, 100 and 200 mg/kg diet) and α-Toc (0 and 200 mg/kg diet). A total of 600 1-day-old male broiler chickens of the Ross strain were randomly allocated to 12 treatments with 5 replicates of 10 birds each. On day 42, one bird from each replicate was sacrified to measure the lymphoid organ weights, intestinal morphometric characteristics, and malondialdehyde content in the thigh meat. Dietary inclusion of oxidised oil significantly reduced the body weight gain in birds receiving no dietary WC (p < 0.05). In contrast, dietary supplementation of WC at 100 mg/kg diet in birds fed with the diets lacking in WC and oxidised oil resulted in significant increase in body weight gain (p < 0.05). Dietary supplementation of WC significantly increased the total anti-sheep red blood cell titre (p < 0.01). The birds fed with the dietary oxidised oil revealed significantly higher values of malondialdehyde and lower glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities (p < 0.05). Feeding diets containing WC resulted in a significant decrease in malondialdehyde content in thigh meat while conversely, increased the glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities (p < 0.05). The findings indicated that the dietary inclusion of WC could be recommended as a potent alternative to synthetic compounds in order to improve broilers performance, immunity and meat quality under oxidative stress conditions.

Alleviating Effects of Vitamins C and E Supplementation on Oxidative Stress, Hematobiochemical, and Histopathological Alterations Caused by Copper Toxicity in Broiler Chickens

Simple Summary

Excessive copper in diets is associated with numerous disadvantageous impacts on poultry. The current study evaluated the efficacy of vitamin C and vitamin E in mitigating oxidative stress, hematobiochemical, and histopathological changes in the kidney induced by copper sulfate (CuSO₄) toxicity in broiler chickens. The birds were assigned to five experimental groups: 1st group—basal diet with no additives (control group), 2nd group—basal diet complemented with CuSO₄ (300 mg/kg diet), 3rd group—basal diet with CuSO₄ (300 mg/kg diet) + vitamin C (250 mg/kg diet), 4th group—basal diet with CuSO₄ (300 mg/kg diet) + vitamin E (250 mg/kg diet), and 5th group—basal diet with CuSO₄ (300 mg/kg diet) + vitamin C (250 mg/kg diet) + vitamin E (250 mg/kg diet). The current study’s findings showed the possible preventive impacts of dietary antioxidants on hematobiochemical alterations, oxidative stress, and kidney damage induced by CuSO₄ toxicity.

Abstract

The current investigation evaluated the alleviating effects of vitamin C and vitamin E on oxidative stress, hematobiochemical, and histopathological changes in the kidney induced by copper sulfate (CuSO₄) toxicity in chickens. Two hundred and fifty-one-day-old male broiler chicks were randomly allotted into five experimental groups (five replicates/group, ten chicks/replicate): 1st group—basal diet with no additives (control group), 2nd group—basal diet complemented with CuSO₄ (300 mg/kg diet), 3rd group—basal diet with CuSO₄ (300 mg/kg diet) + vitamin C (250 mg/kg diet), 4th group—basal diet with CuSO₄ (300 mg/kg diet) + vitamin E (250 mg/kg diet), and 5th group—basal diet with CuSO₄ (300 mg/kg diet) + vitamin C (250 mg/kg diet) + vitamin E (250 mg/kg diet) for a 42 day feeding period. The results showed a significant reduction in red blood cells (RBCs), hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, and hematocrit values as well as total leukocyte counts (WBCs), lymphocyte, heterophil, and monocyte counts in the CuSO₄-intoxicated birds (2.42 × 10⁶/µL, 9.54 g/dL, 26.02%, 15.80 × 10³/µL, 7.86 × 10³/µL, 5.26 × 10³/µL, and 1.18 × 10³/µL, respectively, at the 6th week) compared to (2.79 × 10⁶/µL, 10.98 g/dL, 28.46%, 21.07 × 10³/µL, 10.84 × 10³/µL, 7.12 × 10³/µL, and 1.60 × 10³/µL, respectively) in the control group. Moreover, CuSO₄-intoxicated birds showed hypoglycemia with a rise in serum uric acid and creatinine levels (122.68, 5.18, and 0.78 mg/dL at the 6th week) compared to (159.46, 4.41, and 0.61 mg/dL) in the control group. The CuSO₄ toxicity in birds induced oxidative stress, indicated by a high serum malondialdehyde level (MDA) and diminished activity of the antioxidant enzymes (glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD)) (2.01 nmol/mL, 37.66 U/mL, and 2.91 U/mL, respectively, at the 6th week) compared to (1.34 nmol/mL, 57.00 U/mL, 4.99 U/mL, respectively) in the control group. High doses of Cu exposure caused severe microscopic alterations in kidney architecture. The addition of vitamins C and E, singularly or in combination, displayed a beneficial effect in alleviating these harmful effects of Cu toxicity. These findings showed the possible mitigating impacts of dietary antioxidants on the hematobiochemical alterations, oxidative stress, and kidney damage induced by CuSO₄ toxicity.

Impact of both early-age acclimation and linseed dietary inclusion on fat deposition and fatty acids' meat traits in heat-stressed broiler chickens

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this work was to investigate the combination of early-age acclimation and linseed dietary inclusion in enriching polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in broilers' meat as a strategy to mitigate heat stress.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 400 broiler chicks were assigned to four experimental groups with four duplicates (25 animals each): C: control (basal diet), AC: early-age acclimated (basal diet), Cl: fed 5% ground linseed, and Acl: early-age acclimated and fed 5% ground linseed. The lipid and fatty acid contents of different parts (breast, thigh, liver, subcutaneous, and abdominal fat) of broilers were determined.

RESULTS

Low levels of lipids and unsaturated fatty acids have been found in the meat of acclimated broilers. Higher levels of linolenic acids were noted in Cl thigh meat compared to C (6% vs. 2.68%, respectively). The results showed that oleic and linoleic acids constitute a large part of the PUFAs of different meats. The most elevated levels of monounsaturated fatty acids were recorded in the breast meat of AcL animals. The highest content of omega-3 was recorded in the liver of AcL animals compared to that of C (14.98% vs. 7.8%, respectively).

CONCLUSION

We suggest that the combination of treatments during hot conditions has led to the reversion of the environment-affected variables to accepted values, and yields better thermoresistance, PUFA-enriched meat, and safeguard animal health which conferred to birds' better solutions to reduce fatigue and hypoxic activities, which induces a considerable consumption of oxygen.

Effects of Feeding Dried Fruit Pomaces as Additional Fibre-Phenolic Compound on Meat Quality, Blood Chemistry and Redox Status of Broilers

Simple Summary

Fruit juice production resulted in a considerable amount of by-products that are rich in phenolic compounds. Several studies have already reported that polyphenols seemed to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and hypolipidemic properties. For this reason, fruit extracts have been widely used as a human food supplement for health promotion and disease prevention. However, little information about their application in animal feeds is available. The aim of this study was to investigate whether 3% or 6% apple, blackcurrant and strawberry dietary inclusion could have a positive effect on meat quality, blood chemistry and redox status of broiler chickens. Overall, the obtained results seem encouraging as both 3% and 6% fruit pomaces diets did not impair carcass traits and meat quality. Moreover, fruit pomaces groups showed lower blood triglycerides and improved renal function with lower creatinine level. Regarding antioxidant activity, all fruit pomaces improved the redox status in liver, breast and blood. No differences have been recorded between 3% and 6% diets. From a productive and biological point of view, the use of fruit pomaces in broiler chicken nutrition seems to be promising, in particular, 3% dietary inclusion seems to be preferable as higher fibre level can impair nutrient digestibility in poultry.

Abstract

The present study investigated the effects of apple (A), blackcurrant (B) and strawberry (S) dried pomaces on meat quality, blood chemistry and redox status of broiler chickens. A total of 480 Ross-308 male broilers were divided into 8 dietary treatments containing 3% and 6% of cellulose preparation (C), A, B or S. Six birds/group were slaughtered at 35 days of age and blood samples were collected. Carcass traits and meat quality were determined on the Pectoralis major muscles, recording nonsignificant differences. Antioxidant activity was evaluated in serum, liver and breast muscle. In serum, fruit pomaces lowered triglycerides, creatinine and atherogenic index (p < 0.05). Regarding redox status, in serum, ACW (antioxidant capacity of water-soluble substances) and ACL (antioxidant capacity of lipid-soluble substances) were greater in A (p < 0.001). In breast, ACW and ACL were higher in B and S compared to C (p < 0.05). In liver, ACL was greater in B and S compared to C (p < 0.001) and in higher dosage compared to low (p = 0.036). GSSG (oxidized glutathione) concentration was lower in A, whereas A, B and S presented a higher GSH (reduced glutathione)/GSSG ratio. The results showed that fruit pomaces could represent promising feed ingredients for broilers, improving serum, meat and tissue antioxidant parameters.

Supplemental methionine and stocking density affect antioxidant status, fatty acid profiles, and growth performance of broiler chickens

Broilers stocked in high densities may be prone to oxidative and inflammatory insults, resulting in impaired health status, growth performance, and meat quality. This study was to determine if 30% extra supplemental dl-methionine alleviated or prevented those adverse effects of a higher stocking density in broiler chickens. A total of 560 male Cornish Cross cockerels (day old) were divided into four groups: two stocking densities (9 and 12 birds/m2) and two supplementations of methionine (grower: 2.90 or 3.77 g/kg and finisher: 2.60 or 3.38 g/kg). Growth performance was recorded weekly. Blood and tissues were sampled at the end of each period. High stocking density decreased (P < 0.05) body weight and growth performance of growers and (or) finishers. Those differences were partially attenuated by the extra methionine supplementation. The high methionine elevated (P < 0.05) glutathione (GSH) concentration in the thigh at both ages (> 24%). The high stocking density elevated (>28%, P < 0.05) glutathione concentration in the plasma, breast, and thigh of growers, but decreased (P < 0.05) it in the liver of growers and thigh of finishers. Interaction effects (P < 0.05) between dietary methionine and stocking density were found on activities of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione S-transferase in the liver of growers and breast, thigh, and adipose tissue of finishers. The interaction effect was also found on activities of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase in the thigh of growers. The extra methionine decreased (P < 0.05) hepatic gene expression of heat shock protein 90 (18%) and thigh and breast malondialdehyde concentrations of the finishers (35%). In conclusion, the 30% extra dl-methionine supplementation was able to partially mitigate adverse effects caused by the higher stocking density and to improve the redox status of the broilers.

Antioxidative effects of supplementing linseed oil-enriched diets with α-tocopherol, ascorbic acid, selenium, or their combination on carcass and meat quality in broilers

In a previous study, we examined the synergistic effects of the dietary supranutritional supplementation with vitamin E, vitamin C, and Se on the in vivo antioxidative status of broilers under conditions of dietary oxidative stress induced by feeding a diet high in n-3 PUFA. In this study, we examined the effect of their inclusion on the quality characteristics and oxidative stability of raw or cooked meat, both fresh or after a long-term frozen storage. Four hundred 21-day-old Ross 308 male broilers were allocated to 5 experimental groups fed 5% linseed oil-enriched finisher diets (days 21 to 40): Cont (recommended levels of vitamin E, C, and selenium), +E (200 IU vitamin E/kg feed), +C (250 mg vitamin C/kg feed), +Se (0.2 mg selenium/kg feed), or +ECSe (concentrations as in the sole supplementation, combined). Animal performance and carcass characteristics were monitored at the age of 40 D. Breast meat samples of 12 chickens per group were analysed fresh, fresh after frozen storage, cooked fresh, and cooked after frozen storage (2 × 2 factorial design) for parameters of meat quality (water-holding capacity—WHC, pH, and color) and oxidative stability (concentrations of vitamin E, malondialdehyde—MDA, antioxidant capacity of the water-soluble compounds—ACW, and fatty acid composition).

Vitamin E alone (+E) and combined with Se and vitamin C (+ECSe) increased the α-tocopherol concentration in breast muscle, and showed similar protective effects against lipid peroxidation measured as MDA regardless of the frozen storage or cooking. The sole supplementation of vitamin C or selenium showed no effects on the meat quality parameters. In conclusion, the dietary supranutritional inclusion of vitamin E inhibited the lipid peroxidation in fresh, frozen stored, cooked fresh, and frozen stored meat in broilers fed with diets rich in n-3 PUFAs. Even though no clear synergistic effects of the supranutritional supplementation of vitamin C and Se with vitamin E were detected, their dietary inclusion did not negatively affect broilers carcass and meat quality parameters.

Molecular cloning, tissue distribution and the expression of cystine/glutamate exchanger (xCT, SLC7A11) in different tissues during development in broiler chickens

The cystine/glutamate exchanger (xCT, SLC7A11) is a component of the system X_c amino-acid antiporter that is able to export glutamate and import cysteine into cells. The xCT amino acid exchanger has received a lot of attention, due to the fact that cysteine is an essential substrate for the synthesis of glutathione (GSH), an endogenous antioxidant in cells. The objective of this research was to clone the full-length cDNA of chicken xCT, and to investigate the gene expression of xCT in different tissues, including intestinal segments of broiler chickens during development. The full-length cDNA of chicken xCT (2,703 bp) was obtained from the jejunum by reverse transcription-PCR and sequenced. Homology tests showed that chicken xCT had 80.4%, 80.2%, and 71.2% homology at the nucleotide level with humans, cattle, and rats, respectively. Likewise, amino acid sequence analysis showed that chicken xCT protein is 86.4%, 79.3%, and 75.6% homologous with humans, cattle, and rats, respectively. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis indicated that chicken xCT genes share a closer genetic relationship with humans and cattle, than with rats. The chicken xCT protein has 12 transmembrane helixes, 6 extracellular loops, and 5 intracellular loops. The mRNA of xCT was detected in all tissues, including intestinal segments, in which the mRNA expression of xCT was significantly higher (P < 0.05) within the colon, compared to the jejunum and ileum. During development, a linear pattern of changes regarding the levels of the xCT mRNA was found, indicating that there was an abundance of xCT within the duodenum (P < 0.05). Furthermore, there were changes of the xCT mRNA abundance in the colon during development, which displayed linear and cubic patterns (P < 0.05). These results indicated that xCT is widely expressed both in intestinal segments, as well as other organs that are not associated with nutrient absorption. Further investigation is needed to characterize the functional relevance of xCT activity in oxidative stress and inflammation in the small intestine of broiler chickens.

Duration of the flaxseed diet promotes deposition of n-3 fatty acids in the meat and skin of Peking ducks

BACKGROUND

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), particularly n-3, have beneficial effects on human health, and for this reason foodstuffs with increased content of n-3 PUFA are now very common and widely available.

DESIGN

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of the duration of a flaxseed diet on Peking duck's growth performance, antioxidant status, gene expression, and fatty acid profile of the meat. A total of 792 12-day-old white Peking ducks were divided into four groups. In the control group, animals were provided with a basal diet. In the three experimental groups, animals were fed a 10% flax seed diet with vitamin E at 13, 23, and 33 days of age for 30, 20, and 10 days, respectively.

RESULTS

The growth performance of the ducks decreased with flaxseed diet's duration. Both body weight and body weight gain decreased linearly while Feed conversion ratios (FCR) increased in the group of ducks fed flaxseed compared to control ducks. Serum triglycerides (TG), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) linearly decreased while high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels increased by feeding flaxseed up to 30 days. The expression of lipin-1 gene (LPIN-1) and fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2) linearly increased in ducks fed flaxseed for 30 days. Linolenic acid (n-3) and its long-chain metabolites like eicosatetraenoic acid (ETA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and total n-3 fatty acids (FA) linearly increased while the ratio of n-6 to n-3 was reduced with increased duration of flaxseed supplementation.

CONCLUSION

Overall, we found that increasing the duration of flaxseed diet with vitamin E for more than 10 days had a mild adverse effect on duck's growth performance but enrichedits meat with long-chain PUFA and decreased the n-6 to n-3 ratio, providing quality meat for health-conscious consumers. A period of 20 days is good for producing n-3 enriched Peking duck meat and skin.

Upregulation of antioxidant enzymes by organic mineral co-factors to improve oxidative stability and quality attributes of muscle from laying hens

This study investigated the impact of organic trace minerals (OTM: Fe, Cu, Mn, and Zn proteinates premix) and Se-yeast (0.25 mg/kg) as a feed supplement versus inorganic forms of the same minerals (sulfated) on the enzymatic (GPX, CAT, SOD), oxidative, and physicochemical properties of fresh breast muscle from 68-week old hens during storage (4 °C) for 0, 2, 4 and 6 days. OTM with Se-yeast was more effective than sulfated minerals or selenite for enriching meat with Zn, Se and vitamin E (P < .05). At only one-third of the full inorganic mineral supplementation level, OTM with Se-yeast still induced higher GPX activity and greater inhibition of lipid (58% less TBARS) and protein (24% less sulfhydryl loss) oxidation. The organic mineral treatments significantly decreased drip loss and improved color stability of meat when compared with inorganic mineral supplements. Enhanced muscle cellular antioxidant enzymatic activity by the mineral co-factors was plausibly implicated in the protection.

Comparison of a grain-based diet supplemented with synthetic vitamin E versus a lucerne (alfalfa) hay-based diet fed to lambs in terms of carcass traits, muscle vitamin E, fatty acid content, lipid oxidation, and retail colour of meat

Dietary supplementation of vitamin E (VitE) in a synthetic or natural form was examined. Forty-eight lambs were assigned (n = 16) to either a grain-based diet at moderate (MOD, 42 mg∙kg^-1 VitE as all-rac α-tocopheryl acetate) or supranutritional (SUP, 285 mg∙kg^-1 of vitE) levels of synthetic VitE or a lucerne hay-based diet (LUC; 37 mg∙kg^-1 VitE) for 8 weeks. Meat from the LUC group had lower muscle n-6 and PUFA levels compared to meat from the MOD and SUP groups. Despite a similar VitE intake, muscle VitE was higher for LUC compared to MOD, while SUP lambs showed the highest VitE. Lipid oxidation did not differ between groups. For fresh meat, redness tended to be higher in LUC fed lambs than the other two groups, but brownness formation was only lower than the SUP group. For aged meat colour stability, redness tended to be higher in lambs fed SUP and LUC, whereas highest browning occurred in the MOD group.

Black soldier fly defatted meal as a dietary protein source for broiler chickens: Effects on growth performance, blood traits, gut morphology and histological features

BACKGROUND

The present study has evaluated the effects of different inclusion levels of a partially defatted black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.; HI) larva meal on the growth performance, blood parameters and gut morphology of broiler chickens. A total of 256 male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were reared from d 1 to d 35 and assigned to 4 dietary treatments (8 replicates/treatment and 8 birds/replicate). HI larva meal was included at increasing levels (0, 5%, 10% and 15%; HI0, HI5, HI10 and HI15, respectively) in isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets formulated for 3 feeding phases: starter (1-10 d), growing (10-24 d) and finisher (24-35 d). Two birds per pen were slaughtered at d 35 and morphometric investigations and histopathological alterations were performed.

RESULTS

The live weight (LW) showed linear and quadratic responses to increasing HI larva meal (maximum for HI10 group). Average daily gain (ADG) showed a linear and quadratic responses to HI meal (maximum for HI10 group) during starter and growing periods. A linear decrease was observed for ADG during the finisher period. The daily feed intake (DFI) showed a linear and quadratic effect during the starter period (maximum for HI10 group). Linear and quadratic responses were observed for the feed conversion ratio (FCR) in the growing period and for the whole period of the experiment. The FCR showed a linear response in the finisher period (maximum for HI15). No significant effects were observed for the blood and serum parameters, except for the phosphorus concentration, which showed linear and quadratic responses as well as glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, the latter of which showed a linear response. The HI15 birds showed a lower villus height, a higher crypt depth and a lower villus height-to-crypt depth ratio than the other groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Increasing levels of dietary HI meal inclusion in male broiler chickens may improve the LW and DFI during the starter period, but may also negatively affect the FCR and gut morphology, thus suggesting that low levels may be more suitable. However, no significant effects on the haematochemical parameters or histological findings were observed in relation to HI meal utilization.