This study investigates the effects of adding vitamin C and E to the drinking water on carcass characteristics, meat quality and intestinal microflora populations in broiler chickens during the 10-h pre-slaughter feed withdrawal (FW) period. As study materials, forty male broilers at the age of 42 days were used. The broilers were randomly divided into four groups: Control (non-vitamin, NV), vitamin C (1000 mg/L, VC), vitamin E (500 mg/L, VE) and vitamin combination (1000 mg/L VC+500 mg/L VE, VCE). In the study, vitamin additions didn’t affect carcass characteristics, visceral weights and the pH values of the digestive system (P>0.05). The addition of VC and VE increased the weight of the Bursa of Fabricius, and the addition of VE increased the weight of thymus (P<0.05). Additions of vitamin decreased tendency of carcass contamination (P<0.01) and increased pH45min and pH24h of thigh meat and pH24h of breast meat (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.01, respectively). While a* color intensity of breast and thigh meat increased with all vitamin supplements, L* and b* values of thigh meat decreased (P<0.01). Vitamin supplements, especially VE, reduced the drip loss of breast and thigh meat (P<0.05) and the pathogenic microorganism populations of intestinal contents (P<0.01). As a result, it is thought that the addition of 500 mg/L vitamin E to the drinking water of broiler chickens exposed to the pre-slaughter fasting period will be beneficial to improve meat quality and reduce intestinal pathogenic microorganism load. However, more extensive experimental studies are needed.
Broiler Feed withdrawal period Intestinal microflora Meat quality Slaughter characteristics
The author would like to thank Şeyda Merve KARATAŞ (Asst.) for helping at different stages of the project.
Primary Language | English |
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Subjects | Agricultural Engineering |
Journal Section | Research Articles |
Authors | |
Publication Date | June 30, 2023 |
Submission Date | April 9, 2023 |
Published in Issue | Year 2023 Volume: 4 Issue: 1 |