Effect of economase replacing vitamin E and selenium on growth performance and meat quality of broilers

Abstract

It is well known that any molecule with an atom that contains a single unpaired electron in its outer orbit is termed an oxidant. These atoms are unstable and have a strong attraction for the electrons of other atoms or molecules in order to regain their resting state. The process of transferring electrons to the oxidant is termed oxidation, and a new free radical is formed in the process (Surai, 2002). In fact, oxidation is a very general process, which affects lipids, pigments, proteins, DNA, carbohydrates, and vitamins (Kanner, 1994). In muscle and fat tissue, oxidation continues post-mortem and affects the shelf-life of meat and meat products. It is generally accepted that lipid oxidation is one of the primary mechanisms of quality deterioration in foods, especially in meat products (Kanner, 1994;Morrissey et al., 1998). The latter becomes more important because of a trend toward increasing the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA long-chain) content (Smet et al., 2008) due to the nutritionists' recommendations to reduce intake of saturated fatty acids, as a high degree of polyunsaturation accelerates oxidative processes leading to deterioration in physical and chemical characteristics, such as meat flavour, colour, texture, water holding capacity besides nutritional value (O'Neill et al., 1998;Coetzee and Hoffman, 2001). The major strategies for preventing lipid oxidation are, therefore, the use of antioxidants. In fact, antioxidants can be organic or inorganic and nutrient or non-nutrient in nature. They function to protect animal tissue against highly reactive oxygen containing products produced chemically and by metabolism. These so-called reactive oxygen species (ROS) can be organic or inorganic compounds in which oxygen is a critical component. The r product on s l nked to the use of oxygen as the pr mary electron acceptor n aerob c metabol sm. Compounds such as superox de anion (O ), 2 hydrogen perox de (H O ), hydroxyl rad cal (OH), alkoxyl 2 2 rad cal (RO) and peroxyl rad cal (ROO) attack cellular l p d, prote n, DNA and carbohydrate. Chem cal attacks on the unsaturated fatty ac ds of cellular membranes produce products such as the peroxyl rad cal (ROO), wh ch n t ates a cha n react on that can lead to comprom sed cell membranes and eventually cell death, unless a more reactive electron donor, an antioxidant such as alpha-tocopheryl acetate, is introduced, whereupon the chain reaction is blocked (Liebler, 1993).It is well known that when lipid hydroperoxides are oxidized to peroxyl radicals, the peroxyl radicals react with α-tocopherol much faster than with other polyunsaturated fatty acids. The result is a corresponding organic hydroperoxide and α-tocopheroxyl radical.

Effect of Palm Oil, Linseed Oil and Vitamin E on some Production Parameters of Broilers

“…The results of the criteria of body weight agreed with [14][15][16]. and the results in the weight gain criterion agreed with [17].…”

“…and the results in the weight gain criterion agreed with [17]. for the standard of feed consumption rate, the results did not agree with [16,18]. In terms of the feed conversion factor, the results did not agree with [14,19].…”