Effect of dietary Alibernet red grape pomace application into Ross 308 broiler chickens diet on amino and fatty acids profile of breast and thigh meat.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of Alibernet red grape pomace (ARGP) variety Alibernet addition into broiler chickens Ross 308 diet on the essential amino acid (AA) and fatty acid (FA) composition of their breast and thigh meat. At the beginning, 200 one-day Ross 308 broiler chickens of mixed gender were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 50). The control group (C) did not receive any additional supplementation. The feed of experimental groups was enriched with 1% ARGP per 1 kg of feed mixture (FM) (E1), with 2% ARGP per 1 kg of FM (E2) and with 3% ARGP per 1 kg of FM (E3). The FMs were produced without any antibiotics and coccidiostatics and the fattening period lasted for 42 days. Samples from breast and thigh muscle were obtained and analyzed for the content of AAs and FAs content and results were presented as g 100 g-1 of dry matter. Results revealed that AA profile of breast muscle was not significantly affected, with the most present AAs Lys and Leu. In the thigh muscle we observed significant differences in the content of Thr, Val, Met, Cys and His, namely in males. From the results of FAs profile, we can state that ARGP influenced namely monounsaturated oleic acid in breast muscle (without gender difference), which had significantly highest content (p ≤ 0.05) in all experimental groups (E1-36.05, E2-35.60 and E3-36.79 g 100 g-1) compared with the control group (31.88 g 100 g-1). Overall, it seems that selected feed supplement did not negatively influence AAs and FAs profile of chicken meat.

Eating Quality of Pork from Entire Male Pigs after Dietary Supplementation with Hydrolysable Tannins.

Boar taint is an unpleasant odour and flavour released during heat treatment of pork from uncastrated male pigs. The two main compounds responsible for boar taint are androstenone and skatole. Androstenone is a steroid hormone formed in the testis during sexual maturity. Skatole is a product of microbial degradation of the amino acid tryptophan in the hindgut of pigs. Both of these compounds are lipophilic, which means that they can be deposited in adipose tissue. Several studies have reported heritability estimates for their deposition from medium (skatole) to high magnitudes (androstenone). In addition to efforts to influence boar taint through genetic selection, much attention has also been paid to reducing its incidence using various feeding strategies. From this point of view, research has focused especially on the reduction in skatole content by supplementation of feed additives into the nutrition of entire male pigs. Promising results have been achieved using hydrolysable tannins in the diet. To date, most studies have investigated the effects of tannins on the production and accumulation of skatole in adipose tissue, intestinal microbiota, growth rate, carcasses and pork quality. Thus, the objective of this study was, in addition to determining the effects of tannins on androstenone and skatole accumulation, to assess the effects of tannins on the sensory traits of meat from entire males. The experiment was performed on 80 young boars-progeny of several hybrid sire lines. Animals were randomly assigned to one control and four experimental groups (each numbering 16). The control group (T0) received a standard diet without any tannin supplementation. Experimental groups were supplemented with 1% (T1), 2% (T2), 3% (T3) or 4% (T4) SCWE (sweet chestnut wood extract) rich in hydrolysable tannins (Farmatan). Pigs received this supplement for 40 days prior to slaughter. Subsequently, the pigs were slaughtered, and sensory analysis was applied to evaluate the odour, flavour, tenderness and juiciness of the pork. The results showed a significant effect of tannins on skatole accumulation in adipose tissue (p = 0.052-0.055). The odour and flavour of the pork were not affected by tannins. However, juiciness and tenderness were reduced by higher tannin supplementation (T3-T4) compared to the controls (p < 0.05), but these results were sex-dependent (in favour of men compared to women). Generally, women rated tenderness and juiciness worse than men regardless of the type of diet.

Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) and Kamchatka Honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea var. Kamtschatica) Extract Effects on Technological Properties, Sensory Quality, and Lipid Oxidation of Raw-Cooked Meat Product (Frankfurters).

Oxidation is one of the most prevalent factors responsible for meat product deterioration. Due to their potential health risks, commonly used synthetic antioxidants are beginning to be frowned upon by customers. The industry is searching for a natural replacement. In our study, we incorporated blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) and Kamchatka honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea var. Kamtschatica) extracts into raw-cooked meat products (frankfurters) as natural antioxidants. We observed that both extracts at concentrations of 3 mL·kg-1 were able to significantly (α = 0.05) postpone lipid oxidation in our samples, with results comparable to vitamin C (0.5 mg·kg-1) addition. Moreover, we did not observe negative effects of the extracts on the product's color, pH, or textural properties. Negative results were reported in the sensory evaluation of honeysuckle addition samples. This could have been caused by the natural strong and bitter taste of honeysuckle, which was transferred to the extracts and, subsequently, into the meat product.

The Efficiency of Selected Extenders against Bacterial Contamination of Boar Semen in a Swine Breeding Facility in Western Slovakia.

Bacteriospermia has become a serious factor affecting sperm quality in swine breeding, this is why antibiotics (ATBs) are a critical component of semen extenders. Due to ever-increasing antimicrobial resistance, the aim of this study was to assess the efficiency of selected commercially available semen extenders to prevent a possible bacterial contamination of boar ejaculates. Three Androstar Plus extenders containing different combinations of antibiotics were used to process ejaculates from 30 healthy Duroc breeding boars. Androstar Plus without antibiotics was used as a control. The extended samples were stored at 17 °C for 72 h. Sperm motility, viability, mitochondrial activity, DNA integrity and oxidative profile of each extended sample were assessed following 24 h, 48 h and 72 h. Furthermore, selective media were used to quantify the bacterial load and specific bacterial species were identified with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. The results indicate that semen extenders enriched with ATBs ensured a significantly higher preservation of the sperm quality in comparison to the ATB-free control. The total bacterial count was significantly decreased in the extenders supplemented with ATBs (p < 0.001), however gentamycin alone was not effective enough against Gram-positive bacteria, while a few colonies of Enterococcus hirae, Bacillus subtilis and Corynebacterium spp. were present in the samples extended in the presence of a triple combination of ATBs. In conclusion, we may suggest that semen extenders enriched in antibiotics were not able to fully eliminate the bacteria present in the studied samples. Furthermore, selection of suitable antibiotics for semen extension should be accompanied by adequate hygiene standards during the collection and handling of boar ejaculates.

Can Hydrolysable Tannins in Diet of Entire Male Pigs Affect Carcass, Pork Quality Traits, Amino and Fatty Acid Profiles, and Boar Taint, Skatole and Androstenone Levels?

The slaughtering of entire males increases the probability of incidence of tainted pork due to the presence two main compounds-androstenone and skatole. If a surgical castration of young entire male pigs is stopped in the EU countries, fattening of boars is likely to become one of the most commonly used systems in pig farming. Since skatole production and accumulation in fat tissue can be controlled by dietary approaches, several studies have investigated various feed additives to reduce this compound of boar taint. Ones of the most promising is tannins. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different dietary tannin level supplementation on carcass, pork quality, chemical, amino and fatty acid composition. as well as perception of boar taint and accumulation of skatole and androstenone in adipose tissue. Eighty entire males were randomly distributed to control (T0) and four experimental groups. Control pigs received standard feed mixture (16.8% CP, 13.9 MJ ME) without any tannin supplementation. Experimental pigs received the same diet with administration of 1% (T1), 2% (T2), 3% (T3) and 4% (T4)-sweet chestnut extract rich in hydrolysable tannins for 40 days (from average live weight of 80 kg until slaughter at average weight 122.28 kg ± 5.63 kg). Dietary tannins supplementation did not show any significant effect on chemical composition, cholesterol content, and amino acid composition of muscle as well as fatty acid composition and androstenone accumulation in adipose tissue. A slight or small effect was observed on carcass and meat quality, respectively. Pigs in groups T4 and/or T3-T4 had higher electrical conductivity in semimembranosus muscle and cooking loss value compared to T1, T2 or T0, T1, and T2 groups (p < 0.05). Tannins in the pig's diet greatly affected fatty acid profile in meat of entire males. The highest tannin levels (4%) increased concentrations of lauric, myristic, vaccenic, linoleic, total PUFA, and n-6 PUFA in muscle compared to the control. Similar results were found in group T3 except for vaccenic, linoleic, and total PUFA. On the contrary, concentrations of heptadecanoic and oleic acids in groups T3 and T4 were lower than those in T1 and T2 groups. Perception of boar taint using "hot iron" method (insertion a hot iron tip of soldering iron into adipose tissue) tended to decrease in T2 group compared with control. Skatole accumulation in fat tissue was reduced in groups T2-T4 at significance level (p = 0.052-0.055) compared to the control pigs. In summary, tannins supplementation had no effect on chemical and amino acid composition as well as fatty acid profile in adipose tissue, and only slight on carcass value. However, 4% concentration of tannins significantly increased content of some fatty acids compared to control group.

Quercetin and Naringenin Provide Functional and Antioxidant Protection to Stored Boar Semen.

In this study, we evaluated the impact of 5-50 µM quercetin (QUE) and naringenin (NAR) on extended boar spermatozoa in the BTS (Beltsville Thawing Solution) medium for 72 h. Spermatozoa motion, membrane, acrosome, and DNA integrity were investigated immediately after sample dilution (0 h) as well as after 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h of semen storage. Furthermore, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and superoxide production, as well as the extent of oxidative damage to the sperm proteins and lipids, were assessed to determine the potential of QUE and NAR to prevent a potential loss of sperm vitality due to oxidative stress development. Our results indicate that the most notable parameter influenced by QUE was the mitochondrial activity, which remained significantly higher throughout the experiment (p < 0.001 and p < 0.0001; 10 µM), and which correlated with the most prominent maintenance of sperm motility (p < 0.01, 48 h; p < 0.05, 72 h). A significant membrane stabilization (p < 0.01, 24 h and 48 h; p < 0.0001, 72 h) and prevention of lipid peroxidation (p < 0.05, 24 h and 48 h; p < 0.01, 72 h) was primarily observed following administration of 10 and 25 µM NAR; respectively. Administration of 10 µM QUE led to a significant decrease of superoxide (p < 0.0001, 48 h and 72 h) while the most notable decline of ROS generation was recorded in the case of 10 and 25 µM NAR (p < 0.001). This study may provide new information on the specific mechanisms of action involved in the favorable effects of natural biomolecules on spermatozoa.

The effect of consumption of pork enriched by organic selenium on selenium status and lipid profile in blood serum of consumers.

The aim of the research was to evaluate the effect of consumption of selenium-enriched pork on selected health indicators of probands. The intake of feed mixture with increased organic selenium at the dose of 0.3 mg.kg-1 probably increases selenium concentration in MSM (musculus semimembranosus). In the pork enriched with organic selenium, the concentration was higher by 1.045 ± 0.10 mg.kg-1 compared with the control group 0.701 ± 0.05 mg.kg-1 at significance P < 0.001. Sixteen participants in the experiment were represented by 8 men at the average age of 41.5 ± 11.9 years and 8 women at the average age of 41.4 ± 7.9 years. All the probands consumed meat enriched with selenium three times a week during one month. By consumption of the enriched pork, there was an increase of the selenium concentration in blood serum of probands traced with selenium increase from 73.19 ± 15.68 µg.L-1 to 73.73 ± 15.13 µg.L-1 (P > 0.05). From the results we can see that consumption of enriched pork with selenium was significantly manifested in lowering of total cholesterol levels, which was associated with LDL cholesterol lowering (P < 0.05). Differences among the HDL cholesterol and triglycerides samples were not significant.

Comparison of fatty acid profile in the chicken meat after feeding with narasin, nicarbazin and salinomycin sodium and phyto-additive substances.

The purpose of this study was an experimental investigation and a statistical evaluation of the influence of various additives in feed mixtures of broiler chickens on fatty acids content and their ratio in breast and thigh muscles. First feed additive consisted of narasin, nicarbasin and salinomycin sodium, and other five additives were of phytogenic origin. In vivo experiment was realized on the poultry experimental station with deep litter breeding system. A total of 300 one-day-old hybrid chickens Cobb 500 divided into six groups were used for the experiment. The experimental period was divided into four phases, i.e. Starter, Grower 1, Grower 2 and Final, according to the application of commercial feed mixture of soy cereal type. Additive substances used in feed mixtures were different for each group. Basic feed mixtures were equal for all groups. Fatty acid profile of breast and thigh muscles was measured by the method of FT IR Nicolet 6700. Investigated additive substances in the feed mixtures did not have statistically significant effect on fatty acid content and omega-6/omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratio in breast and thigh muscles. Strong statistically significant relation between omega-6 PUFAs and total PUFAs were proved by experiment. A relation between omega-3 PUFAs and total PUFAs was found only in the group with Biocitro additive.

Effect of probiotics and thyme essential oil on the essential amino acid content of the broiler chicken meat.

BACKGROUND: Differences in the types and percentages of essential amino acids (EAAs) in food could influence the value of protein consumed and proteins with a high content of EAAs are the most important components of poultry meat. The use of probiotics for meat and carcass quality improvement has been questioned, while feed supplementation with thyme essential oil (TEO) could be considered as useful natural supplement to be applied in the poultry industry to improve meat quality. METHODS: Day-old broilers Ross 308 (n = 400) were randomly divided into four groups based on the feed supplement as follows: control, probiotics 0.05%, TEO 0.05% and combination of probiotics and TEO, while the fattening period was 42 days. Six birds of both sexes from each group were selected as a sample, slaughtered and then stored (-18°C) for 6 months till the analysis. The muscular homogeneous sample (50 g) from the breast and thigh of each sample bird was analysed by the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy method using the device Nicolet 6700. The essential amino acids content was determined and the quality indicators include chemical score, amino acid score, EAA index and biological value were calculated. RESULTS: The obtained results show that for all the tested EAAs of the breast and thigh muscles, the content numerically increased gradually and progressively within the groups as the control scored the minimum followed by the probiotics group, then the combination group and finally the TEO group which scored the highest results. CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that the TEO promoted the increase of all the EAAs and consequently the quality indicators with significant different compared with the control group and significantly different for some EAAs and quality indicators compared with the probiotics group and the combination group.

Assessment of the antioxidant potential of selected plant extracts--in vitro and in vivo experiments on pork.

The antioxidant potential of selected plant extracts was assessed in vitro and in vivo experiments on pork. In the in vitro experiment, the anti-oxidative capacity of ethanol-water extract of Melissa officinalis (MW), ethanol-propylene-glycol extracts of M. officinalis (MP), Origanum vulgaris (O) and Salvia officinalis (S) at different dilutions was analysed. Furthermore a 2% essential oil concentrate was added to Origanum (OSi) and Salvia (SSi). In the two in vivo experiments in total 104 Slovak White Meaty pigs were fed with plant extracts (MW and O) at different doses with/without additional vitamin E. In the in vitro experiment Melissa (MW) showed a higher antioxidant potential compared to Origanum and Salvia assessed by TEAC assay. Addition of essential oil to Origanum improved substantially the anti-oxidative capacity. In the in vivo experiment the highest muscle anti-oxidative effect was obtained by feeding 60 ml Origanum. Small improvement in muscle antioxidant potential was observed by feeding Melissa or Origanum in combination with vitamin E. By feeding 10 ml Melissa, Origanum or Salvia the meat quality parameters such as pH(1) and pH(24), drip loss and shear force was not affected. After 5 days storage of meat the redness value was positively affected.