title: Effects of single or combined dietary supplementation of β-glucan and kefir on growth performance, blood characteristics and meat quality in broilers.
abstract: 1. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary β-glucan and kefir (a fermented milk product) on growth performance, blood profiles, relative organ weight and meat quality in broilers. 2. A total of 375 day-of-hatch mixed sex ROSS 308 broilers (BW of 46 ± 0.1 g) were used in a 5-week experiment and randomly allotted to one of the following dietary treatments: (1) NC, basal diet; (2) PC, basal diet + 40 mg/kg of avilamycin; (3) B, NC + 0.1% β-glucan; (4) K, NC + 0.1% kefir; (5) BK, NC + 0.1% β-glucan + 0.1% kefir. 3. During weeks 0-3, broilers in B, K and BK treatments had higher body weight gain (BWG) than those in NC treatment. During weeks 4-5, BK treatment had a higher BWG than NC treatment. Overall, broilers given PC, K and BK diets had higher BWG than those given NC diet. The feed efficiency ratio (FCR) was improved by PC treatment. 4. Relative liver weight was increased by B treatment, whereas the relative weight of breast meat and gizzard was higher in BK group than that in NC group. Broilers given PC, B and BK diets had greater breast meat redness value and reduced drip loss at d 5 and d 7. The cooking loss was also reduced by B and BK treatments compared with NC treatment. 5. In conclusion, the results suggested that inclusion of 0.1% β-glucan and 0.1% kefir, either individually or combined, would improve growth performance and benefit meat quality in broiler chickens.
authors: Department of Animal Resource & Science, Dankook University, Cheonan, South Korea.
authors: J H
authors: JH
authors: Cho
authors: Z F
authors: ZF
authors: Zhang
authors: I H
authors: IH
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D002645:Chickens / Q000097:blood / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D043302:Cultured Milk Products / Q000378:metabolism*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009929:Organ Size; D019936:Probiotics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D047071:beta-Glucans / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D047071:beta-Glucans; C006653:avilamycin