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Performance, carcass, gastrointestinal tract and meat quality traits, and selected blood parameters of broilers fed diets supplemented with humic substances
Author(s) -
Ozturk Ergin,
Ocak Nuh,
Turan Alev,
Erener Guray,
Altop Aydin,
Cankaya Soner
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.4541
Subject(s) - broiler , triglyceride , zoology , biology , gastrointestinal tract , cholesterol , phosphorus , food science , blood lipids , chemistry , endocrinology , biochemistry , organic chemistry
BACKGROUND: The effects of humic substances (HS) on quality traits (colour, water‐holding capacity, and pH) of breast and thigh meats and on blood minerals (calcium and phosphorus) and on metabolites (glucose, total protein, triglyceride and cholesterols) as well as on the performance, carcass, and gastrointestinal tract (gut) traits of broilers were studied. In total, 480 male chicks (ROSS 308) were allocated to four treatments, each with five replicates containing 24 birds. While control birds were fed a diet (mash form) with no additives (0 HS), other treatment birds were fed with diets containing HS at 0.5 (0.5 HS), 1.0 (1 HS) or 1.5 (1.5 HS) g kg −1 from 1 to 42 days of age. RESULTS: The body and carcass weights and feed efficiency increased ( P < 0.05) by 1.5 HS, and blood cholesterol decreased ( P < 0.05) by 1 HS and 1.5 HS compared to 0 HS. The 0.5 HS decreased ( P < 0.10) low‐density lipoprotein compared to 0 HS. The 0.5 HS resulted in thigh meat and breast meat that were lighter and darker than those found in the other groups and 1.5 HS respectively ( P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Feeding with a diet containing HS caused a measurable variation in the meat quality and blood cholesterol as well as the performance, carcass, and gut traits of broilers. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry