Effect of Amino Acids on Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, Meat Quality, and Carnosine Concentration in Broiler Chickens

Abstract

The aim of this research was to investigate the deposition of carnosine in broiler muscles by feeding treatments comprising β-alanine, L-histidine, and magnesium oxide in various concentrations. The research was carried out on 120 Cobb 500 broilers divided into four groups. From weeks four to six, broilers were fed finisher mixtures as follows: P1, control group; P2, 0.5% β-alanine + 0.24% MgO; P3, 0.25% L-histidine + 0.24% MgO; and P4, 0.20% β-alanine + 0.10% L-histidine + 0.24% MgO. This paper presents the weights of broilers and their carcasses, portions of main parts of carcasses, technological quality of breast muscles, and concentrations of carnosine in breast and thigh muscles. The following traits of muscle tissue quality were measured: initial and final pH value (45 min after slaughtering pH 1 , and 24 h after cooling pH 2 ), drip loss, color (Minolta colorimeter, expressed as CIE L*, CIE a*, and CIE b* values), meat softness, and cooking loss. Data on relative concentration of protein carbonyl (nmol/mg protein) in the muscles of breasts and thighs and levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) in fresh and frozen breasts muscles (nmol/mg of tissue) are presented. Statistical analysis proved that feeding treatments had an effect on the live weight of broilers in the 4th, 5 th , and 6th weeks of fattening (P<0.05), as well as on the carcass quality at slaughter (P<0.05; except the portion of wings), pH 1 value (P=0.035), CIE a* indicator (P=0.007), drip loss (P=0.002), and meat texture (P=0.008).Compared to the control group, synthesis and deposition of carnosine were increased in breast muscles in groups P2, P3, and P4 by 7.51%, 10.62%, and 62.93%, respectively, and in thigh muscles by 61.05%, 78.95%, and 89.52%, respectively. It was also confirmed that feeding treatments influenced the level of TBARS in frozen broiler breast muscles (P=0.014).Key words: β-alanine, broiler, carnosine, L-histidine, meat quality, performance IntroductionFunctional food components have beneficial effects on certain functions in humans; they improve the body's condition and reduce the risk of some diseases. Carnosine plays an important role in human physiological functions; it regulates intracellular pH, prevents oxidation, and assures normal neurotransmission (Chan and Decker, 1994, Wu and Shiau, 2002). Boldyrev et al. (2013) reported that carnosine influenced skeletal muscle, brain, and cardiovascular system functions. It also slows down the aging process (anti-aging factor), and increases the capacity and intensity of an athlete's activities. Carnosine content can be affected by the type of muscle tissue (white or dark meat) and animal species (cattle, sheep, rabbits, and poultry), as well as by breed (autochthonous breeds or hybrids), sex, age, and breeding (Abe and Okuma, 1995; Boldyrev et al., 2013). For example, the muscles of some fish (salmon, trout) contain anserine only and human muscles contain carnosine only, but muscles of birds contain both dipeptides (Boldyrev, 2006). It is considered that ...

Effect of feeding histidine and β-alanine on carnosine concentration, growth performance, and meat quality of broiler chickens

“…Supplementation of His reportedly increases the Car concentrations in breast muscle tissue ( Kai et al., 2015 ; Kralik et al., 2015 ). However, Kralik et al. (2018) described an increase in Car concentration in breast muscle tissue by feeding a combination of βA and His, but not with the stand-alone supplementations, thus deviating from the results of this study.…”

“…According to other studies, βA could increase the concentration of HCD in muscle tissue ( Tomonaga et al., 2012 ; Kralik et al., 2015 ; Qi et al., 2018 ). This was not observed in our study, as well as in the study of Kralik et al. (2018) .…”

“…(2018) , with 1.355 g/kg βA as optimal concentration for improving breast yield. Kralik et al. (2018) found no impact of His and βA supplementation, individually or combined, on breast yield of the carcass.…”

Reduction in dietary lysine increases muscle free amino acids through changes in protein metabolism in chickens

“…Carnosine is a naturally occurring skeletal muscle dipeptide comprised of β-alanine and histidine ( Crush, 1970 ), and it reduces oxidative stress by its peroxyl radical-trapping ability ( Kohen et al., 1988 ). An increase in carnosine in broiler meat improves its drip loss ( Kralik et al., 2018 ), 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values ( Hu et al., 2009 , Kralik et al., 2018 ), and shear force value ( Hu et al., 2009 ). Ascorbic acid is also an antioxidant that partly improves growth performance and meat quality, such as pH and color in broilers under heat stress ( Imik et al., 2012 ).…”

Beta alanine effects immediately pre- and post hatch on chick quality, carcass yield and meat quality in broilers

“…Because the blood TAS level at slaughter age in the T3 group was higher than that of the poultry in T1 group, this may have been caused by the increase in the concentration of carnosine, which has strong antioxidant ability (O'Neill et al, 1998;Cong et al, 2017;Kralik et al, 2018;Qi et al, 2018;Kopec et al, 2020;Shimamoto et al, 2020). These studies reported that the antioxidant capacity of the PM increased with the βA supplement (Qi et al, 2018).…”