Benefits of Magnesium Supplementation to Broiler Subjected to Dietary and Heat Stress: Improved Redox Status, Breast Quality and Decreased Myopathy Incidence

Poultry is highly sensitive to oxidative reactions. Oxidative reactions have attracted considerable attention from animal and food scientists because of the adverse effects of these reactions on animal welfare, performance and food quality. Despite its implication in multiple biological functions magnesium (Mg) supplementation is typically overlooked in broiler diets. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of Mg supplementation (0.3%) using a commercial product (Optibreast\uae) on production parameters, the redox status and meat quality in broilers challenged with dietary (oxidized oil) and heat stress. The incidence of myopathies, namely, wooden breast (WB) and white striping (WS) was also assessed. Mg supplementation had a clear interaction with the absorption/accumulation of Ca in blood and breast muscle but this effect had no negative influence on any of the production parameters under study. Mg supplementation had positive effects on particular meat quality traits such as water holding capacity (WHC) and color. WHC may have other positive effects in turn on relevant sensory traits such as juiciness. Mg supplementation protected against protein oxidation in liver and plasma of broilers. This effect may be related to the increased activity of catalase in such tissues. Mg supplementation reduced the incidence of WS and WB myopathies to almost half the occurrence of such defects in animals fed a control diet. Further studies with a larger number of animals and the application of advanced proteomic/metabolomic tools are required to (1) corroborate the positive influence of Mg on myopathy incidence and (2) identify the underlying molecular basis of the proposed mechanisms

Effect of Sodium Chloride Replacement with Potassium Chloride on Quality Traits of Bicarbonate-Marinated Turkey Breast Meat

This study aims to evaluate the possibility to formulate low-sodium bicarbonate-marinated turkey breast meat. In total, 60 meat cuts (100 7 50 7 30mm) were divided into four treatments: B1 (0.5% sodium bicarbonate and 0% sodium chloride replacement), B2 (0.5% sodium bicarbonate and 15% sodium chloride replacement), B3 (0.5% sodium bicarbonate and 30% sodium chloride replacement), and B4 (0.5% sodium bicarbonate and 45% sodium chloride replacement). The results showed that sodium replacement up to 45% had no impact on texture (as represented by Allo-Kramer shear values) and water activity. After cooking, Group B1 exhibited the highest L* value (72.1) and the lowest b* (6.6) when compared to other groups. In conclusion, replacing sodium chloride with potassium chloride up to 45% in the presence of sodium bicarbonate did not affect negatively several quality traits (sensory traits, composition, and texture, etc.)

Broiler skin and meat color changes during storage

Abstract The importance of poultry skin and meat color (both absolute and variations in color) in the market place have been well established. It has also been reported that these colors change over time. With the development of computer-assisted vision grading systems, the changes in skin and meat color during and after processing have become important, based on calibrations and assessment values based on color. Four independent experiments were conducted to determine the pattern of color change in broiler skin and meat during processing and storage. Skin color change was measured on subscald (57 C) and semiscald (50 C) breast skin surfaces and on breast and leg meat, on the carcass and following deboning and packaging. A reflectance colorimeter was used to determine lightness (L*), redness (a*), and yellowness (b*) at 20-min intervals for the first 3 h, at 30-min intervals between 3 and 8 h, hourly between 8 and 12 h, and daily up to 8 d postmortem. Results clearly show that color values for both skin and meat changed dramatically for the first 6 h postmortem, after which the changes were less pronounced. The skin from semiscalded birds showed less change than the skin from subscalded birds. These results indicate that on-line vision systems need to take into account the dramatic changes in skin and meat color during the first 6 h postmortem, after which the color changes may be less important

Effects of the feeding system on performance and myopathy occurrence in two broiler chicken genotypes

To evaluate whether performance and myopathy occurrence differed according to genotype (Cobb 500 vs. Ross 308) and feeding system (AL: ad libitum vs. ER: early restricted from 13 to 23 d of age, vs. LR: late restricted from 27 to 37 d; restriction rate: 80% of ad libitum), 828 day- old male chicks were assigned to 6 groups (2 x 3 arrangement), housed in 36 pens, and controlled for: individual live weight (weekly) and pen feed intake (daily) until slaughter (48 d); white striping and wooden breast occurrence at slaughter. Individual data were analysed by PROC MIXED of SAS (fixed effects: feeding system, genotype, and interaction; random effect: pen); pen feed intake and myopathy occurrence were analysed by PROC GLM and CATMOD, respectively. The feeding system affected performance: at the end of the first period (1-22 d), ER chickens showed lower weight gain (40.5 g/d vs. 47.8 g/d and 48.0 g/d), feed intake (50.8 g/d vs 61.0 g/d and 60.2 g/d) and weight (903 g vs 1056 g and 1059 g) than AL and LR broilers (P<0.001); at the end of the second period (23-48 d), ER chickens showed higher weight gain (98.3 g/d vs 93.6 g/d and 90.2 g/d) and feed intake (182 g/d vs. 177 g/d and 171 g/d) compared to AL and LR chickens (P<0.001). Final live weight was the highest in AL group, intermediate in ER group, and the lowest in the LR one (3482 g, 3454 g, and 3399 g; P<0.01). Feed conversion in the whole period did not change with the feeding system. At gross examination, white striping occurrence changed from 77.8% to 67.1%, and 81.7% in AL, ER and LR broilers (p<0.10). Differences between genotypes were evident from the first day and, at the end of the trial, weight gain (74.3 g/d vs 70.1 g/d), feed intake (126 g/d vs 114 g/d), feed conversion (1.69 vs 1.64), and live weight (3548 g vs. 3342 g) were higher in the Ross than in the Cobb chickens (P<0.001). At slaughter, the rate of white-striped breasts was similar (on average 75.5%), but the occurrence of severely white-striped breasts was higher in the Ross than in the Cobb chickens (25.9% vs. 7.41%; P<0.001). Wooden breast occurrence (on average 5.1%) did not change with the feeding system or the genotype. In conclusion, under our conditions, a late feed restriction did not permit to recover performance at the end of the trial nor to control white striping occurrence. Moreover, the genotype affected growth rate and white striping degree: the highest the growth rate, the highest the severity of white striping

The Influence of Genotype, Market Live Weight, Transportation, and Holding Conditions Prior to Slaughter on Broiler Breast Meat Color

A study was conducted to determine the influence of genotype, market live weight, transportation time, holding time, and temperature on broiler breast fillet color under commercial processing in Italy. Color was evaluated using a Minolta Chroma Meter (Minolta Chroma Meter CR-300, Minolta Italia S.p.A., Milano, Italy) on a total of 6,997 broiler breast fillets (Pectoralis major muscle) from 79 different flocks chosen at random during a 6-mo period. The flocks were represented by Ross 508 and Cobb 500 genotypes of both genders, processed at different ages, and subjected to different antemortem conditions during transport and holding. Ross 508 broilers exhibited a lower hue angle (H*) than did Cobb 500 (45.12 vs. 48.52; P 3.3 kg) produced a darker breast meat (L* = 51.67) than did the lighter birds (210 km (a* = 3.28 and 3.04, respectively). The shortest holding time (9 h (L* = 52.12 and 52.04, respectively). Furthermore, an increase of both meat a* and saturation (C*) was observed with the advance in holding time. The holding temperature significantly affected the meat color. Breast fillets from birds held at 18°C (L* = 53.11) (P 18°C) also determined a lower breast meat a* (3.77 vs. 3.12 vs. 2.72, respectively; P < 0.001), b* (3.72 vs. 3.41 vs. 3.37, respectively; P < 0.05), C*, and H*. In conclusion, the holding time and temperature exerted the most important effect on broiler breast meat color. However, other factors, such as genotype, live weight, and transportation, may influence breast meat color

Effects of transport and lairage on mortality, live weight loss and carcass quality in broiler chickens.

Influenza del trasporto e della sosta premacellazione sulla mortalit\ue0, sulla perdita di peso e sulla qualit\ue0 della carcassa di pollo. Nel corso della ricerca sono stati esaminati 321 lotti di broilers macellati in condizioni industriali su cui sono stati determinati i seguenti parametri: tasso di mortalit\ue0, perdita di peso vivo, percentuale di carcasse non idonee al consumo, percentuale di ematomi in petto, cosce ed ali. Gli animali trasportati per tempi pi\uf9 brevi (&lt;3,5h) hanno fatto rilevare un tasso di mortalit\ue0 inferiore rispetto a quelli trasportati per tempi medi (3,5-5h) e lunghi (&gt;5h) (0,24 vs. 0,41 e 0,45%; P&lt;0,01). La perdita di peso \ue8 risultata superiore (P&lt;0,01) per tempi di trasporto pi\uf9 lunghi (2,09%) rispetto a quanto osservato per i tempi medi (1,87%) e brevi (1,27%). Negli animali sottoposti ai trasporti pi\uf9 brevi \ue8 stata inoltre rilevata una superiore incidenza di ventrigli con un eccessivo stato di riempimento. La durata della sosta premacellazione non ha influenzato significativamente alcuno dei parametri considerati

The influence of linseed on rabbit meat quality

[EN] A research project was conducted to study the influence of the dietary use of whole linseed on rabbit meat quality. A total of 288 growing rabbits were fed ad libitum (from 55 to 81 d old) with a commercial diet (C) or experimental diets containing 3, 6, or 9% whole linseed (L3, L6 and L9, respectively). After slaughtering, L. lumborum muscles and rabbit meat hamburgers were used to determine pH, colour, cooking loss, total lipid content, fatty acid composition and induced TBARS. Hind leg muscles were analyzed for total lipid content, fatty acid composition and induced TBARS. Finally, a sensory test was carried out to establish the level of acceptability of rabbit meat hamburgers prepared with the meat batters stored for 3 or 6 months at -20°C. The use of linseed determined a lower content of total saturated fatty acid and a higher content of PUFA (P<0.01) in all types of meat. The PUFA n-3 content of the meat increased significantly (P<0.01) with the increasing level of whole linseed in the diet, mainly due to the higher content of alpha-linolenic acid, which also determined a reduction of the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio. The hamburgers prepared from L6 and L9 groups exhibited higher TBARS values in comparison with L3 and C. Furthermore, the cooking loss of hamburgers was lower in meat from rabbits fed the control diet (C), intermediate in L3 and higher in L6 and L9 (P<0.01). With regard to sensory analysis, the diet did not determine significant differences in the acceptability of the hamburgers produced with frozen meat batters stored for 3 or 6 months. In general, the use of 3% linseed in diets for growing rabbits could be considered suitable for achieving both the enrichment of the meat with alpha-linolenic acid and maintaining good product quality characteristics.The authors are grateful to “F.lli Martini & C. S.p.A.” for technical assistance. Research funded by MIUR - PRIN ex 40%.Bianchi, M.; Petracci, M.; Cavani, C. (2009). The influence of linseed on rabbit meat quality. World Rabbit Science. 17(2):97-107. doi:10.4995/wrs.2009.6639710717

The European perspective on pale, soft, exudative conditions in poultry

ABSTRACT Over the past 15 yr, the European poultry processing industry has gradually increased the availability of poultry meat in a large variety of processed ready meals following what occurred a few years before in North America. This shift toward further processed products has emphasized the necessity for higher standards in poultry meat to improve sensory characteristics and functional properties. In parallel to this market change, the consciousness of the pale, soft, and exudative (PSE)-like meat issue has extensively grown. In poultry, PSE-like meat can be generally considered meat having low ultimate pH, pale color, and poor functional properties (i.e., low water-holding capacity). In the last 10 yr, some studies have been undertaken in Europe to both characterize and evaluate the overall incidence of PSE-like chicken and turkey breast meat. According to these studies, the occurrence of PSE-like meat can be up to 40% within a flock during hot climate. Several key factors have been identified and their effects have been analyzed, including genetics, season, antemortem factors, and slaughtering conditions

Editorial: Rising stars in avian physiology: 2022

Recognizing the future leaders of Avian Physiology is fundamental to safeguarding tomorrow’s driving force in innovation. This Research Topic is aimed to supporting scientists in the early stages of their careers across a wide range of disciplines by selecting and publishing their research output at the highest quality standards. In some sense, Avian Physiology is an amalgam of several fields and disciplines. This is reflected in the fact that veterinary oversight of animal research often distinguishes birds from poultry, birds that are used in agriculture. On one hand, avian physiologists who study poultry with the important objective of improving the health and profitability of poultry species are frequently called “poultry scientists”. Poultry scientists have their own journals, such as Poultry Science, and their own societies, such as the Poultry Science Association and others. On the other hand, avian physiologists who study basic mechanisms in a variety of avian species, including poultry species, are often called “ornithologists”. Ornithologists, like poultry scientists, have their own journals, such as Auk and Condor, as well as societies such as the International Ornithological Congress. And there are societies, such as the International Society for Avian Endocrinology, and journals, such as this journal, that address scientific issues from the breadth of Avian Physiology. This Research Topic reflects that breadth

Effect of the exposure to oxidation and malondialdehyde on turkey and rabbit meat protein oxidative stability

The present study aimed at evaluating the effect of the exposure to a strong oxidative environment (100&nbsp;mM NaClO) and the concurrent incubation with different malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations (0 to 5&nbsp;mM) on protein carbonylation, free thiol groups, total heme pigments, and on the relative concentration of the different myoglobin (Mb) derivatives in turkey thigh and rabbit hind leg meat to elucidate their eventual role in inducing oxidative modifications on the protein fraction. With regard to turkey meat, the addition of a strong oxidant resulted in remarkably higher (P &lt; 0.001) carbonyls along with a reduction in free thiol groups (which become undetectable). The relative concentration of MbO2 and MetMb was significantly affected (P &lt; 0.001) and total heme pigment was reduced by 62% when fresh meat is compared to its oxidized counterpart. The addition of MDA 2.5&nbsp;mM (or greater) resulted in a 1.4-fold increase in carbonyls and a tendency (P = 0.07) has been observed for free thiol groups whose content decreased as the MDA level increased. Overall, the aforementioned results are in agreement with those obtained on rabbit hind leg meat in which a three-fold increase (P &lt; 0.001) in carbonyls and a remarkably higher (P &lt; 0.001) MetMb content coupled with a 53% reduction in free thiol groups were found. No significant differences ascribable to MDA addition were found. In conclusion, exposing turkey and rabbit meat to the same environment resulted in distinctive oxidative changes that might be related to the compositional traits and a species-specific susceptibility of the meat toward oxidation. Practical Application: Protein and lipid oxidation have been investigated in different meat types; nevertheless, the knowledge concerning the interaction between these two phenomena is limited. According to their compositional traits (high Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and heme pigment content), turkey and rabbit leg meats are particularly susceptible to oxidation. Providing information concerning the oxidative stability of turkey thigh and rabbit hind leg meat exposed to strong oxidative conditions and to a concurrent increasing content of a secondary product of lipid oxidation, the findings of the present study can be useful when proper processing strategies and storage conditions have to be implemented for manufacturing processed products