Dietary Beta-Hydroxy-Beta-Methyl Butyrate Supplementation Affects Growth, Carcass Characteristics, Meat Quality, and Serum Metabolomics Profile in Broiler Chickens

• Main Authors: Zhiyi Tang, Bo Song, Changbing Zheng, Jie Zheng, Yulong Yin, Jiashun Chen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-02-01
• Series: Frontiers in Physiology
• Subjects: Wenshi chickens; beta-hydroxy-beta-methyl butyrate; growth performance; meat quality; serum metabolome
• Online Access: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2021.633964/full

This study aimed to explore the effects of beta-hydroxy-beta-methyl butyrate (HMB) on serum metabolic profiles and meat quality of muscles in Wenshi broiler chickens. Birds were fed a basal diet with an additional 0, 0.05, 0.10, or 0.15% HMB, respectively. Results showed that dietary HMB quadratically increased the average daily gain (P = 0.058) and decreased feed:gain (P < 0.05) mainly in the starter phase. At 51 days of age, birds receiving 0.10% HMB diet exhibited less abdominal fat and more breast yield than the control (P < 0.05). Moreover, dietary HMB quadratically decreased the L∗ value and drip loss in selected muscles (P < 0.05) and increased the a∗ value in breast muscle (P < 0.05). Serum metabolome profiling showed that the most differentially abundant metabolites are lipids and lipid-like molecules, including phosphatidylcholines. It was concluded that HMB improved growth performance and meat quality of muscle in broilers.