Author(s)

Marta del Puerto¹, Roberto Olivero¹, Alejandra Terevinto¹, Ali Saadoun², M. Cristina Cabrera^1,2*

¹Department of Animal Production & Pastures, Nutrition and Food Quality Laboratory, Faculty of Agronomy, University of the Republic (UDELAR), Montevideo, Uruguay.
²Physiology & Nutrition, Faculty of Sciences, University of the Republic (UDELAR), Montevideo, Uruguay.

The effect of selenium supplementation in finishing broiler diets on meat quality was studied. A corn soya based diet was supplemented with 0.3 ppm of Se from an organic (Seleno methionine; Se-Met) or inorganic source (sodium selenite; Se-Na) and offered to Rossmale chickens from thirty five to fifty two days old. Body weight and feed consumption were recorded during the experimental period. Immediately post sacrifice liver was removed and weight was recorded. The liver glycogen and lactate content was measured. Carcass yield and abdominal fat were determined. At 24 hours post mortem, pHu, colour L*, a*, b*, H°, C*, and drip loss of the Pectoralis and Gastrocnemius muscles were determined. Se-Met supplementation significantly decreases daily food intake. Se-Na significantly increases liver glycogen and lactate content at 3 minutes post mortem. Se-Met and Se-Na significantly increase pHu as compared to the control diet. Also a Se-Met provoked a darker (lower L*) and a redder (higher a*) and a decreased tone (lower H°) in Pectoralis. Se-Met and Se-Na significantly decrease the drip loss in Pectoralis and Gastrocnemius at 24 hours post mortem. We conclude that selenium supplementation decreases food intake and improves meat quality by improving colour and decreasing drip loss, likely by a modulation of reserve of glycogen in liver. The difference among the organic and inorganic sources is not clear and requires further investigation.

Selenium, pH, Color, Drip Loss, Glycogen, Lactate

Puerto, M. , Olivero, R. , Terevinto, A. , Saadoun, A. and Cabrera, M. (2016) Dietary Organic and Inorganic Selenium on Liver Glycogen and Lactate, pHu, Color and Drip Loss of Chicken Pectoralis and Gastrocnemius Muscles. Open Journal of Animal Sciences, 6, 59-67. doi: 10.4236/ojas.2016.61008.