Effect of antioxidant inclusion and oil quality on broiler performance, meat quality, and lipid oxidation

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of antioxidant inclusion and oil quality on broiler performance, meat quality, shelf life, and tissue oxidative status. Ross 308 male broilers were allotted to a randomized complete block design in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Factors consisted of antioxidant (ethoxyquin and propyl gallate) inclusion at 2 levels (0 or 135 mg/kg) and oil quality (fresh soybean oil, control diet peroxide value <1 mEq/kg, or oxidized soybean oil, diet peroxide value 7 mEq/kg). Each treatment included 12 pen replicates comprising 24 birds for a total of 1,152 birds on trial allotted to 48 pens. On the final day of the study, 1 bird from each pen was killed by cervical dislocation and used for determination of tissue oxidative status. Another 5 broilers from each pen were processed at a commercial slaughtering facility. Immediately after processing, carcasses were transported to the University of Illinois Meat Science Laboratory (Urbana) for further analysis. With the exception of 2 responses (liver vitamin A and serum vitamin A), no interactions were found between antioxidant inclusion and oil quality. Body weight and weight gain were increased by dietary antioxidant inclusion (P < 0.001) and fresh oil (P < 0.001). Feed intake was increased in broilers fed the antioxidant (P = 0.047) and fresh oil (P = 0.062). Antioxidant inclusion had no effect on G:F (P = 0.18). Antioxidant supplementation had no effect on carcass weight (P = 0.202), dressing percentage (P = 0.906), breast yield (P = 0.708), or breast ultimate pH (P = 0.625) and had minimal effect on breast color. Antioxidant supplementation (P = 0.057) reduced breast thiobarbituric acid reactive substances after 7 d of display. Fresh oil decreased liver thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, whereas antioxidant inclusion increased serum and liver vitamin A and E concentration. The presence of an antioxidant in the feed protects lipids from further oxidizing, therefore increasing broiler performance and improving shelf life when using oxidized oil.

Role of Vitamin E in Counteracting Oxidative Stress in Poultry

“…When stress is more severe, the pro-oxidant systems outbalance the anti-oxidant systems, potentially producing oxidative damage to lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids, ultimately leading to cell death in severe oxidative stress. Such uncontrolled oxidative reactions can lead to damage of cellular tissues and can lead to cell death, severe oxidative stress and metabolic diseases (Surai, 2000;Tavarez et al, 2011). Therefore, controlling auto-oxidation is very important to maintain feed and food quality and to enhance bird health and welfare.…”

“…Non enzymatic antioxidants defense systems include molecules (e. g., glutathione, vitamin A and E, and carotenoids) and other elements such as selenium. When the ROS surpasses the ability of the antioxidant systems, lipid peroxidation is accelerated and accumulation of ROS is increased in serum and tissues which may damage biological membranes leading to cellular injury and dysfunctions and thus reduces productivity and suffers from diseases (Engberg et al, 1996;Halliwell and Gutteridge, 1999;Sahin and Kucuk, 2003;Tavarez et al, 2011). The tissue status of endogenous antioxidant enzymes are considered as markers for evaluating oxidative stress (Surai, 2003;Panda et al, 2008a).…”

Review: In vivo and postmortem effects of feed antioxidants in livestock: a review of the implications on authorization of antioxidant feed additives

“…Supplementation of vitamin E and rosemary powder for broiler chickens increased the oxidative stability of fats in meat measured in terms of the MDA content (Marcinčák et al, 2005). Similarly, dietary α-tocopherol supplementation reduced the TBARS content, lipid oxidation, rancid odor and flavor in raw, cooked and stored meat (Maraschiello et al, 1999;Grau et al, 2001;Ruiz et al, 2001;Tavarez et al, 2010;Taulescu et al, 2011). Taulescu et al (2011) further observed an increased concentration of α-tocopherol in meat due to supplementation with vitamin E or vitamin E with Se, which implies an enriched antioxidant status of the meat for benefits in human nutrition.…”

“…Though low inclusion dose was suggested as a possible cause for the observed tenuous antioxidant effect. In a study evaluating synthetic antioxidants, EQ and propyl gallate decreased liver thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels when broilers were fed diet containing oxidized oil (Tavarez et al, 2010).…”

Kaempferitrin improves meat quality of broiler chickens

“…Fresh colour, drip loss, shear force, pH 45 min postmortem (pH 45 ), crude protein, and crude fat of breast muscle were measured using previously described methods (Bianchi et al, 2007;Jiang et al, 2007;Tavárez et al, 2011). Meat colour was determined using Chroma Meter CR-410 (Konica Minolta Co. Ltd., Osaka, Japan) to assess CIE LAB values.…”