Analysis of bone osteometry, mineralization, mechanical and histomorphometrical properties of tibiotarsus in broiler chickens demonstrates a influence of dietary chickpea seeds (Cicer arietinum L.) inclusion as a primary protein source

Abstract

This study was focused on analyzing the effects of dietary inclusion of raw chickpea seed as a replacement of soybean meal as a primary protein source on bone structure in broiler chickens. Broiler chickens (n = 160) received in their diet either soybean meal (SBM) or raw chickpea seeds (CPS) as a primary protein source throughout the whole rearing period (n = 80 in each group). On the 42th day randomly selected chickens from each group (n = 8) were slaughtered. Collected tibiotarsus were subjected to examination of the biomechanical characteristics of bone mid-diaphysis, microstructure of the growth plate and articular cartilages; the analysis of mineral content and crystallinity of mineral phase, and the measurements of thermal stability of collagen in hyaline cartilage were also carried out. The inclusion of chickpea seeds resulted in increase of bone osteometric parameters (weight, length and mid-diaphysis cross-sectional area) and mechanical endurance (yield load, ultimate load, stiffness, Young modulus). However, when loads were adjusted to bone shape (yield and ultimate stress) both groups did not differ. Mineral density determined by means of densitometric measurements did not differ between groups, however the detailed analysis revealed the differences in the macro- and microelements composition. The results of FT-IR and XRD analyses showed no effect of diet type on mineral phase crystallinity and hydroxyapatite nanocrystallites size. In trabecular bone, the increase of real bone volume (BV/TV) and number of trabeculae was observed in the CPS group. Total thickness of articular cartilage was the same in both groups, save the transitional zone, which was thicker in the SBM group. The total thickness of the growth plate cartilage was significantly increased in the CPS group. The area of the most intense presence of proteoglycans was wider in the SBM group. The structural analysis of fibrous components of bone revealed the increase of fraction of thin, immature collagen content in articular cartilage, trabeculae and compact bone in the CPS group. The dietary inclusion of CPS affected the thermal stability of collagen, as decrease of net denaturation enthalpy was observed. This study showed a beneficial effect of CPS on the skeletal development, improving the overall bone development and the microarchitecture of cancellous bone. It suggests that CPS can be a promising replacement for SBM in broilers feeding in the aspect of animal welfare related to the development of the skeletal system.

The Dietary Inclusion of Chickpea Seeds (Cicer Arietinum L.) Influences the Thermal Properties of Muscle Proteins, But Not the Texture of Drumstick Muscle in Broiler Chickens

“…The dietary inclusion of CPS influenced the mechanical properties of tendons and thermal stability of tendon collagen proteins in broiler chickens (Muszyński et al, 2018a). On the other hand, there was no effect of CPS inclusion on thermal properties of collagen structures of the articular cartilage of the tibia (Muszyński et al, 2018b).…”

Effect of Soybean Meal Substitution by Raw Chickpea Seeds on Thermal Properties and Fatty Acid Composition of Subcutaneous Fat Tissue of Broiler Chickens

“…Despite this, we prepared our mixtures to be also isonitrogenous and isoenergetic. However, as presented in previous works, despite the fact that experimental diets were not adjusted to other nutrients, the diet type did not have a significant effect on chicken weights (2320 ± 125 g and 2404 ± 170 g for the SBM and CPS group, respectively; p = 0.279) or feed conversion ratio (1.93 ± 0.34 kg/kg and 1.88 ± 0.44 kg/kg, for the SBM and the CPS groups, respectively; p = 0.863) [12,13]. A very recent experiment also showed that inclusion of raw CPS through the whole rearing period does not influence body weight gain and feed conversion ratio in turkeys [37].…”

“…The diets were isonitrogenous, isoprotein, and isoenergetic ( Table 1). Bird management and care are described in detail in previous works [12,13]. Individual body weight and feed intake (per pen) were monitored.…”

“…The tendency to reduce the use of feed containing GMOs (genetically modified organisms), and the growing customer preferences for animal products obtained from animals not given such feeds, increase the need to look for alternative sources of dietary protein. Previous studies indicate that alternatives to SBM can be faba bean [7,8], lupines [9][10][11], chickpeas [12,13], and, as it was found more recently, nonplant protein sources such as insect meal [14][15][16]. As compared to soybean, chickpea seeds (CPS) are characterized by a lower content of chymotrypsin and trypsin inhibitors, while the nutritional value of chickpea protein is comparable to that of soybean [17].…”

“…In our previous studies, we have examined the effects of CPS as a substitute of SBM in broiler diets on selected properties of broiler muscles [31], bones [13], tendons [12], and skin tissue [32]. The aim of these research investigations was to increase our understanding about how broiler chickens respond to a dietary inclusion of raw, unprocessed CPS.…”