Increased redness in turkey breast muscle induced by fusarial culture materials

Physiological parameter values for physiologically based pharmacokinetic models in food-producing animals. Part II: Chicken and turkey

Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models are growing in popularity due to human food safety concerns and for estimating drug residue distribution and estimating withdrawal intervals for veterinary products originating from livestock species. This paper focuses on the physiological and anatomical data, including cardiac output, organ weight, and blood flow values, needed for PBPK modeling applications for avian species commonly consumed in the poultry market. Experimental and field studies from 1940 to 2019 for broiler chickens (1-70 days old, 40 g - 3.2 kg), laying hens (4-15 months old, 1.1-2.0 kg), and turkeys (1 day-14 months old, 60 g -12.7 kg) were searched systematically using PubMed, Google Scholar, ProQuest, and ScienceDirect for data collection in 2019 and 2020. Relevant data were extracted from the literature with mean and standard deviation (SD) being calculated and compiled in tables of relative organ weights (% of body weight) and relative blood flows (% of cardiac output). Trends of organ or tissue weight growth during different life stages were calculated when sufficient data were available. These compiled data sets facilitate future PBPK model development and applications, especially in estimating chemical residue concentrations in edible tissues to calculate food safety withdrawal intervals for poultry.

Effects of phytogenic additives on meat quality traits in broiler chickens1

Phytogenics have been reported to improve growth performances in farm animals and are thereby considered as potential key solutions for antibiotic-free livestock nutrition. Yet, their effects on meat quality are still not well defined; therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effects of 5 experimental phytogenic additives (3 dietary and 2 water supplements) on growth and meat quality in broilers. One-day-old broiler chicks (n = 576) were assigned to 48 floor pens and divided into 6 treatments (Control, AV/HGP/16 premix [AVHGP], Superliv concentrate premix [SCP], bacteriostatic herbal growth promotor [BHGP], AV/SSL/12 [AVSSL], and Superliv Gold [SG]) in a complete randomized design (8 pens/treatment with 12 birds/pen, and 96 birds/group). Feed intake and BW were recorded, and birds were processed at 42 d to evaluate carcass traits. Breast muscle tissues were excised to determine stress- and antioxidant-related genes expression. Both AVSSL- and SG-treated broilers produced heavier (P < 0.05) slaughter weights compared with the control-fed broilers, whereas AVSSL supplementation decreased (P < 0.05) fat pad size and increased (P < 0.05) breast weights compared with the control-fed broilers. Although pH and a* values remained unchanged, L* was decreased (P < 0.05) in all treatment and b* was reduced (P < 0.05) in SG when compared with controls. The trained sensory panelists detected more (P < 0.05) green herb flavor in the breast meat from AVHGP than SCP, SG, and control birds. The expression of superoxide dismutase 2, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2, and JNK gene was upregulated in AVHGP and BHGP compared with the control (P < 0.05). Together, these results indicated that phytogenic additives might improve meat quality of broilers through modulation of stress- and antioxidant-related pathways.

Effects of feeding blends of grains naturally contaminated with Fusarium mycotoxins on performance, hematology, metabolism, and immunocompetence of turkeys

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding blends of grains naturally contaminated with Fusarium mycotoxins on performance, hematology, metabolism, and immunological parameters of turkeys. The efficacy of polymeric glucomannan mycotoxin adsorbent (GMA) in preventing these adverse effects was also evaluated. Three hundred 1-d-old male turkey poults were fed wheat-, corn-, and soybean meal-based starter (0 to 3 wk), grower (4 to 6 wk), developer (7 to 9 wk), and finisher (10 to 12 wk) diets formulated with uncontaminated grains, contaminated grains, and contaminated grains + 0.2% GMA. Feeding contaminated grains significantly decreased BW gains during the grower and developer phases, and GMA supplementation prevented these effects. There was no effect of diet, however, on feed intake or feed efficiency. The feeding of contaminated grains reduced total lymphocyte counts at wk 3 (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with GMA increased plasma total protein concentrations compared with controls and birds fed the contaminated diet. Plasma uric acid concentrations in birds fed contaminated grains were increased at the end of the experiment compared with controls, and the feeding of GMA prevented this effect. Feeding contaminated grains significantly increased the percentage of CD4(+) lymphocyte populations during wk 6; however, there was no change in the percentage of CD8(+) and B-lymphocyte populations. Contact hypersensitivity to dinitrochlorobenzene, which is a CD8(+) T cell-mediated delayed-type hypersensitivity response, was significantly decreased after 24 and 72 h by feedborne mycotoxins compared with controls. Supplementation of the contaminated diet with GMA prevented the decrease in response after 24 h. Secondary antibody (IgG titer) response against SRBC antigens (CD4(+) T cell-dependent) was significantly decreased after feeding contaminated grains compared with controls. It was concluded that turkey performance and some blood and immunological parameters were adversely affected by feedborne Fusarium mycotoxins, and GMA prevented many of these effects.

Effects of diet and feed withdrawal on the sensory descriptive and instrumental profiles of broiler breast fillets

Effects of diet and feed withdrawal times on the sensory profile and shear values of broiler breast meat were determined. Feeds were formulated with 3 dietary carbohydrate sources (corn, milo, and wheat). Birds (n = 192) were processed between 42 and 52 d of age. Feed was withdrawn for 0 or 8 h prior to pilot plant processing under simulated commercial conditions. Pectoralis major muscles were removed 4 h postmortem and frozen until evaluated. Thawed breast fillets were cooked in heat-seal bags immersed in 85 degrees C water until an internal temperature of 80 degrees C was reached. Color, shears, and sensory profiles (18 attributes) were determined. Meat from corn-fed birds required significantly less force to shear (6.0 kg) than meat from birds fed milo (6.7 kg) or wheat (7.1 kg). Feed withdrawal did not affect the flavor profile; however, meat from birds at 0 h feed withdrawal were darker and redder. Diet significantly affected the sensory profile. Brothy scores were significantly higher in meat from corn-fed birds than in meat from birds fed wheat or milo. Diet and feed withdrawal significantly affected sensory texture. Meat from wheat-fed birds was harder, more cohesive, and more chewy and exhibited larger particle size than meat from birds fed corn or milo. Moisture release values were lower and toothpack values were higher in meat from birds processed at 0 h feed-withdrawal time compared with meat from birds held 8 h without feed. Dietary carbohydrate source appears to have a measurable impact on flavor and texture of broiler breast meat.

The effect of age, dietary carbohydrate source, and feed withdrawal on broiler breast fillet color

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of bird age, diet (feeds formulated with 69.5% corn, 69.7% milo, or 73.6% wheat), and feed withdrawal times (0 or 8 hours) on color (CIE L*, lightness; a*, redness; and b*, yellowness) of raw broiler breast fillets. Broilers were placed on diets at 28 d of age. Replicate groups of 24 birds (eight each from different diet and four each either full fed or feed withdrawn) were processed (slaughtered and eviscerated under simulated commercial conditions) each day from 42 to 45 and 49 to 52 d of age (n = 192). Carcasses were chilled and deboned 4 h postmortem, and triplicate color measurements taken from the medial (bone) side of the fillet. Bird age did not significantly affect fillet color values. Fillets from the birds fed the wheat diet were significantly lighter than fillets from the corn or milo fed birds (48.9 vs. 46.9 and 46.7, respectively). The milo diet resulted in significantly redder fillets than corn or wheat (3.9 vs. 3.5 and 3.3, respectively). The corn diet produced significantly more yellow fillets than milo or wheat (4.8 vs. 2.4 and 2.6, respectively). Feed withdrawal significantly increased fillet lightness from an average of 46.1 to 48.9, decreased redness from 4.1 to 3.1, and increased yellowness from 2.8 to 3.7. Raw broiler breast fillet color is significantly affected by both diet and feed withdrawal, but not by age.

Effects of feeding blends of grains naturally contaminated with Fusarium mycotoxins on production and metabolism in broilers

Three hundred sixty, 1-d-old male broiler chicks were fed diets containing grains naturally contaminated with Fusarium mycotoxins for 56 d. The four diets included control (0.14 mg/kg deoxynivalenol, 18 mg/ kg fusaric acid, < 0.1 mg/kg zearalenone), low level of contaminated grains (4.7 mg/kg deoxynivalenol, 20.6 mg/kg fusaric acid, 0.2 mg/kg zearalenone), and high level of contaminated grains without (8.2 mg/kg deoxynivalenol, 20.3 mg/kg fusaric acid, 0.56 mg/kg zearalenone) and with (9.7 mg/kg deoxynivalenol, 21.6 mg/kg fusaric acid, 0.8 mg/kg zearalenone) 0.2% esterified-glucomannan polymer derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae1026 (E-GM). Body weight gain and feed consumption responded in a significant quadratic fashion to the inclusion of contaminated grains during the finisher period. Efficiency of feed utilization, however, was not affected by diets. The feeding of contaminated grains in the finisher period also caused significant linear increases in blood erythrocyte count and serum uric acid concentration and a significant linear decline in the serum lipase activity. Dietary inclusion of contaminated grains resulted in a significant quadratic effect on serum albumin and y-glutamyltransferase activity. Blood hemoglobin and biliary IgA concentrations, however, responded in significant linear and quadratic fashions. Supplementation of E-GM counteracted most of the blood parameter alterations caused by the Fusarium mycotoxin-contaminated grains and reduced breast muscle redness. It was concluded that broiler chickens may be susceptible to Fusarium mycotoxicoses when naturally contaminated grains are fed containing a combination of mycotoxins.

The effect of fumonisin B1 on isolated chondrocytes and on bone formation

Toxic effects of fumonisin B1 (FB1) were observed with cultured chondrocytes isolated from epiphyseal growth plates and with growing broiler chicks. Viability of chondrocytes was reduced after 48 h exposure to FB1, and half lethal concentration of FB1 was estimated to be greater than 250 microM. Increase in cell size was inhibited by as low as 25 microM FB1. Dietary inclusion of fumonisins (55 and 110 ppm) caused a reduction in body weight, increase in liver weight, and decrease in feed efficiency (P < .05). However, diarrhea and bone malformation were not observed. It is concluded that fumonisin by itself is not sufficient to cause skeletal problems in poultry.