Evaluation of Meat Quality of Local Pigeon Varieties in China

To evaluate the germplasm characteristics and nutritional value of Chinese native pigeon varieties, this study analyzed the nutrient composition of the meat of four Chinese native pigeon varieties and then compared them with those of the White King pigeon, which is the most commonly used in China. A total of 150 pigeons aged 28 d (squabs) of 5 breeds including Taihu pigeon, Shiqi pigeon, Ta-rim pigeon, Boot pigeon, and White King pigeon were selected for slaughter. The basic meat quality parameters and contents of conventional nutritional compositions, inosine acid, amino acids, and fatty acids were measured. The results showed that there were significant differences in flesh color (L*, b*), pH, and water loss rate of different breeds of suckling pigeons (p < 0.05). Compared with White King pigeons, four local breeds had dark breast meat and a low water loss rate. The protein contents of Taihu, Tarim, and Shiqi suckling pigeons were significantly higher than those of White King pigeons (p < 0.05). Taihu pigeons had the highest protein content, reaching 22.72%. The inosinic acid content of Tarim pigeons was the highest (1.31 mg/g) and was significantly higher than that of Shiqi pigeons, Boot pigeons, and White King pigeons (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the content of amino acids, the ratio of essential amino acids, and the ratio of umami amino acids in the meat of different breeds of pigeons (p > 0.05). The percentage of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) in the breast muscle of local breeding pigeons was significantly lower than that of White King pigeons (p < 0.05), and the percentages of lauric acid, palmitic acid, eicosanoic acid, and behenic acid in SFAs reached significant levels (p < 0.05). The content of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in the meat of Taihu pigeons was significantly higher than that in other breeds. In conclusion, compared with the White King pigeon, the meat of local breed pigeons (Taihu pigeon, Shiqi pigeon, Tarim pigeon, and Boot pigeon) had dark flesh, good water retention, high protein and inosine contents, a high proportion of essential amino acids, and a low saturated fatty acid ratio. In addition, Taihu pigeons had the highest protein content (22.72%), monounsaturated fatty acids (44.58%), and EPA (0.47%) compared to other breeds.

Effects of star anise (Illicium verum Hook. f) and its extractions on carcass traits, relative organ weight, intestinal development, and meat quality of broiler chickens

Star anise (Illicium verum Hook. f) has been used as spice and herbal medicine for many years with lacking researches on evaluating its application for improving relative organ weight, intestinal development, and quality of animal products. The experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of star anise, its essential oil and leavings on carcass traits, relative organ weight, intestinal development, and meat quality of broiler chickens. A total of 384 broilers were randomly assigned to 4 treatments with 8 replicates of 12 birds each. The 4 dietary treatments were basal diet (Control), basal diet supplemented with 5 g/kg star anise (Star anise), basal diet supplemented with 0.22 g/kg essential oil (Essential oil), and basal diet supplemented with 5 g/kg leavings (Leavings). The concentration of main active components in the experimental diets was 0.204 g trans-anethole/kg of diet. All birds were fed a starter diet (0-21 d) and a grower diet (22-42 d). Birds supplemented with star anise and essential oil had a greater (P < 0.05) final body weight (BW) than control birds and those supplemented with leavings. However, the carcass yield, half chamber rate, eviscerated rate, and percentages of breast muscle and thigh muscle in birds were similar (P > 0.05) among all treatments. Birds supplemented with star anise and essential oil had higher (P = 0.010) relative weight of thymus than those in control and leavings groups. Essential oil supplemented groups appeared to contain the highest (P < 0.05) villus height in ileum and villus height/crypt depth ratio in ileum and jejunum among all the groups. Meanwhile, among all the groups, breast muscles of essential oil-supplemented groups appeared to contain the lowest (P = 0.012) boiling loss but highest (P < 0.001) concentration of inosinic acid (inosine 5'-monophosphate, IMP). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of 5 g/kg star anise and 0.22 g/kg essential oil improved BW, relative organ weight, and intestinal development, and 0.22 g/kg essential oil can also increase the concentration of IMP but decrease the boiling loss in breast muscles of broilers; however, 5 g/kg leavings had no effect.

Attempts to increase inosinic acid in broiler meat by using feed additives

To explore regulation of inosinic acid content in chicken meat as a result of feed additives, 576 one-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers were randomly allotted into 8 dietary treatments including control, purine nucleotide (P), betaine (B), soybean isoflavone (S), purine nucleotide + betaine (PB), purine nucleotide + soybean isoflavone (PS), betaine +soybean isoflavone (BS), and purine nucleotide + betaine + soybean isoflavone (PBS) by a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. At d 42 of age, broilers were slaughtered, and growth performance, carcass characteristics, inosinic acid content, and activities of enzyme closely related to inosinic acid metabolism of broilers were measured. The results revealed that these feed additives did not affect ADG and ADFI of the broilers (P > 0.05). However, supplementing purine nucleotides lowered feed/gain of broilers in PS and PBS groups (P < 0.05). There was a significant interaction on feed/gain of broilers between purine nucleotides and soybean isoflavone (P < 0.05). The abdominal fat percentages in groups B, S, BS, and PBS were lower than the control group, respectively (P < 0.05). The thigh muscle percentages of groups P and B were higher than that of group PB (P < 0.05). There were certain interactions on the percentage of thigh muscle (P = 0.05) and abdominal fat (P < 0.05) between P, B, and S groups. Compared with the control group, inosinic acid content in broiler breast meat was improved by using feed additives (P < 0.05). Supplementing purine nucleotides, betaine, soybean isoflavone, and their combinations increased alkaline phosphatase activity in breast meat of broilers (P < 0.05). Purine nucleotides improved the activity of adenosine deaminase, but decreased the activity of 5'-nucleotidase. Soybean isoflavone lowered the activity of alkaline phosphatase. There were no significant interactions on activities of creatine kinase, adenosine deaminase, alkaline phosphatase, and 5'-nucleotidase between these additives (P > 0.05). The umami rating of broiler breast meat increased in conjunction with supplementing these additives. In conclusion, supplementing standard feed with the additives investigated in this study could improve inosinic acid content in chicken meat by increasing synthase activity or inhibiting degradation enzyme activity without inferior growth performance and carcass quality.