Influence of a Semiochemical Analogue on Growing Performances and Meat Quality of Broilers

Abstract

Stress in broilers may have severe consequences on the final product quality. A synthetic analogue of uropygial secretion of mother hens was isolated from poultry. This mother hen uropygial secretion analogue (MHUSA) was tested in farm conditions on broilers during 12 wk. The purpose of this trial was to estimate the influence of MHUSA on growing performances, meat characteristics after processing, and stress indicators of broilers. After the 80-d period, birds under treatment were heavier at 3 different weighing ages (P <or= 0.01, P <or= 0.01, and P <or= 0.05 at 21, 63, and 80 d of age, respectively) and had higher filet weights. A strong correlation between filet weight and carcass weight was found (R2 = 0.83). No correlation between abdominal fat and carcass weight or between abdominal fat and filet weight was observed. There was no significant difference among treatments concerning abdominal fat. Corticosterone level was higher for birds under placebo treatment (P <or= 0.05). No statistical difference was observed for mixed sexes concerning filet weight lost from 24 h to d 6 postmortem. After the cooking procedure, samples from the MHUSA group were less yellow compared with the control (P <or= 0.05). Our conclusion is that the tested semiochemical MHUSA has an influence on live weights, filet weights, and corticosterone levels in Label broilers grown to 80 d of age. Constant exposure to the MHUSA enhances growth without decreasing meat quality.

Effects of a semiochemical on feed conversion index and related indicators on fast-growing broilers housed during forty-two days

“…Previous studies using MHUSA in broilers showed that birds under this semiochemical had greater LW compared with control (Madec et al, 2005(Madec et al, , 2006(Madec et al, , 2008. The current study results are similar for LW, but the results did not support the hypothesis that CI would be improved for broilers exposed to MHUSA.…”

“…Our treatment was identical to the one tested and described in the study by Madec et al (2006). Briefly, the treatment was incorporated into a gelatin matrix block composed of water (135 g), nonionic surfactant (7 g), and a gelling gum (5 g), plus either 3 g of water (control) or 3 g of MHUSA.…”

“…In stressed broilers, one can observe both low growing performances (Siegel, 1995) and weight gain (Zulkifli et al, 2002). The synthetic analog of a semiochemical, named mother hen uropygial secretion analogue (MHUSA), is known to have favorable effects on broilers by lowering HLR and CS concentration, thus decreasing the stress response (Madec et al, 2005(Madec et al, , 2006.The native semiochemical is secreted from the uropygial gland of mother hens (Gallus gallus) when isolated in natural mothering condi-tions. It has a similar effect compared with the specific appeasing pheromones of the species mainly described in mammals (Moltz and Leet, 1981;McGlone and Anderson, 2002;Pageat and Gaultier, 2003).…”

“…The native secretion of the hen, composed of fatty acids, is produced continuously from 4 d before hatching until separation occurs (Pageat, 2002). Madec et al (2006Madec et al ( , 2008 showed that both carcass weights and growth rate improved using MHUSA. According to Mumma et al (2006), stress leads to proteinic catabolism and increases food and water consumption.…”

Influence of a preen gland secretion on growth and meat quality of heavy broilers

“…It is also known that hens raising their chicks produce specific hormonal secretions from this gland (Richard-Yris et al, 1983;Bohnet et al, 1991). Their lack may be related to the level of stress observed in broiler husbandries, as observed by Madec et al (2005) and Madec et al (2006). In order to test the effect on the quality of broilers' production, the secretion from the uropygial gland of hens was isolated under natural mothering conditions.…”