155 Effects of maternal and dietary vitamin A level on growth performance, meat quality and immune function of broiler offsping. (7th December 2018) - Wang, Y
Abstract: To evaluate effects of maternal and dietary vitamin A level on growth performance, meat quality and immune function of offspring, breeder broilers were fed up with basal diet supplemented with 0, 5400, 10800 and 21600 IU/kg VA for 9 wk, then the offspring hatched in each group were fed with basal diet supplemented with 0 or 5, 000 IU/kg VA for 63 days. Results showed that: (1) Administration of VA in diet for offspring improved BW, ADG and ADFI, as well as reduced F/G and mortality of offspring broilers, while maternal VA did not significantly affect the growth performance and mortality of offspring. (2) The pH value on breast muscle 24h postmortem increased with dietary VA supplementation of maternal at the levels of 21, 600 IU/kg compared to 0 and 5, 400 IU/kg VA supplementation in offspring diet significantly increased breast muscle shear force, pH value 24h postmortem, decreased meat colour L* and b* value 45min postmortem, and decreased drip loss 24h postmortem. (3) Maternal VA had no significant influence on spleen, thymus and bursa of fabricius indexes in offspring and 21, 600 IU/kg VA for breeders increased the liver index in offspring. Supplemental VA in offspring diet increased the bursa of fabricius and liver indexes. (4) Dietary of 5, 400 and 21, 600 IU/kg VA for breeders significantly decreased mRNA expressionof IFN-γ and increased that of IL-2 in spleen of offspring and there was significant interaction between dietary VAs for maternal and offspring on spleen IL-2, IL-1β and IFN-γ expression in offspring. In summary, maternal and dietary vitamin A supplementation had beneficial influence on growth performance and meat quality in offspring, which might be related with regulated immune function.