Meat Quality of Broiler Chickens by Feeding Inorganic Form of Selenium

Abstract

The addition of selenium is necessary to maintain the health and high productivity of broiler chickens and to improve the palatability and chemical composition of the meat. This helps to increase the content of dry matter, protein and fat in the breast and thigh muscles, and also increases the nutritional and biological value of poultry meat. Determination of the optimal dose of the inorganic form of selenium in the feed of broiler chickens remains a problematic issue. The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of different doses of selenium (0.2 mg/kg, 0.3 and 0.4 mg/kg) on the chemical composition, energy and biological value of muscle tissue of broiler chickens. Broiler chickens in the amount of 40 heads served as the research material. Poultry of the control group (10 heads) received compound feed according to the growing periods, and experimental groups (30 heads) received compound feed with the addition of different amounts of sodium selenite: group 2 – 0.2 mg/kg, group 3 – 0.3 mg/kg and group 4 – 0.4 mg/kg. Current methods were used to determine the chemical composition of the pectoral and femoral muscles of broiler chickens, in particular, the mass fraction of moisture, the total content of fat, nitrogen, and the mass fraction of total ash. The content of selenium was determined by the method of atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma, the toxicological assessment was carried out using Tetrachimena piriformis strain WH14 ciliates, the energy value was determined by the calculation method, according to the chemical composition of muscle tissue. It was found that the fat content increased in the pectoral muscles of broiler chickens of experimental group 2 by 0.1% (p < 0.05), 3 – by 0.3 (p < 0.01) and 4 – by 0.3 % (p < 0.05) compared to the control group. The indicator of energy value of breast muscles of broiler chickens of experimental group 3 increased by 2.2% (p < 0.05), and 4 – by 2.8% (p < 0.05) compared to the control group. Selenium concentration increased in the pectoral muscles of broiler chickens of experimental group 2 by 21.7% (p < 0.05), 3 – by 70% (p < 0.01), 4 – by 106% (p < 0.001) compared to the control group. At the same time, the concentration of selenium in the femoral muscles of broiler chickens of experimental group 2 increased by 12.9% (p < 0.01), 3 – by 57.1 (p < 0.001), 4 – by 85.7% (p < 0.001) compared to the control group. Therefore, the concentration of selenium in the muscle tissue of the pectoral and thigh muscles depends on the dose of this trace element in feed. The quality of meat of broiler chickens improved with the addition of inorganic form of selenium to compound feed at a dose of 0.3 and 0.4 mg/kg.