Effect Of Yeast Selenium On Growth Performance, Antioxidant Function And Meat Quality Of Chickens

Three trials were conducted to investigate the effects of diet selenium yeast supplemental on growth performance, antioxidant function and meat quality in chickens. Sodium selenite was taken as control. These data will provide a scientific data for Chinese poultry industries.Trial 1 focus on the effects of selenium yeast supplementation on growth performance and slaughter performance of chickens. A total of 360 chickens (50 d old, provide by Jiangsu Xincao Farm) were randomly allotted to one of the four treatments with one control group (0.3 mg/kg sodium selenite) and three selenium yeast groups (0.2,0.3 and 0.4 mg/kg). Compared with the sodium selenite group, feed conversion ratio significantly decreased in 0.2 mg/kg selenium yeast group (P< 0.05), however the feed intake and average daily gain during 50-90 d was not affected (P> 0.05). The dressing percentage, percentage of eviscerated yield, abdominal fat percentage, breast percentages, the leg muscle rate and carcass lean percentage was not affected between selenium yeast groups and the sodium selenite group (P> 0.05).Trial 2 focus on the effects of selenium yeast on the serum and meat antioxidant activity of chickens. The experimental design was the same as trial 1. Compared with chickens in the sodium selenite group, the serum superoxide dismutase level (SOD) in chickens of 0.4 mg/kg selenium yeast group was significantly increased (P< 0.01); the serum catalase activity (CAT) was elevated in 0.2 and 0.3 mg/kg selenium yeast groups (P < 0.05). But the serum CAT in 0.4 mg/kg selenium yeast group was not affected compared with the sodium selenite group (P> 0.05). The serum glutathion peroxidase activity (GSH-Px) was significantly higher in 0.3 mg/kg selenium yeast group than the other groups (P< 0.01). No significant difference of the muscle antioxidant indicators, including malondialdehyde level (MDA), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), was observed between selenium yeast groups and the sodium selenite group (P> 0.05).Trial 3 focus on the effects of selenium yeast on the meat quality of chickens. The experimental design was the same as trial 1. Compared with the sodium selenite group, the pectoralis pH value at 45 min (pH45min) increased in 0.3 and 0.4 mg/kg selenium yeast groups, and the pectoralis pH value at 24 h (pH24h) was increased in 0.3 mg/kg selenium yeast group (P< 0.05). However, no significant differences in the L* value, a* value, b* value, drip loss, cooking loss, and the contents of breast moisture, CP, crude fat and crude ash were observed in all groups (P> 0.05). Compared with the sodium selenite group, the shear force value increased in 0.2 and 0.3 mg/kg selenium yeast groups and the hardness and mucilage glue increased in 0.4 mg/kg selenium yeast group (P< 0.05). Selenium yeast tend to increase the breast total protein solubility, myogen solubility and myofibril protein solubility (P> 0.05), while breast phospholipase A2 decreased in selenium yeast group (P > 0.05).In summary, compared with the sodium selenite group,0.2 or 0.3 mg/kg selenium yeast increased GSH-Px, CAT and SOD activities,0.3 or 0.4 mg/kg selenium yeast increased breast pH value and tenderness, but selenium yeast had no effect on growth performance and carcass traits. The study suggests that 0.3 mg/kg selenium yeast supplementation could elevate antioxidant activity and improve breast meat quality in 50-90 day chickens.