Effect of Carnosine on Growth Performance; Carcass Characteristics, Meat Quality and Oxidative Stability in Broiler Chickens

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary carnosine on growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and oxidative stability of muscle and blood in Arbor Acres broilers. A total of 180 1-d-old male broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 3 groups: group A, control feed; group B, 0.50% carnosine feed during d 1 to d 21; group C, 0.50% carnosine feed during d 22 to d 42. Birds were sacrificed at d 42. Live body weight, muscle color (L*, a*, b*), pH values at 0, 2, and 24 h postmortem, meat shear force value (SFV), water loss rate, the amount of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and total antioxidant capability (TAOC) in the blood and the muscle tissue were measured. Results showed that the growth performance of the chickens was not affected by dietary carnosine. The breast muscle weight and thigh muscle weight of group B and the thigh muscle weight of group C was significantly higher than that of group A (P< 0.05). The SFV of the breast and the thigh muscle of group C and the SFV of the breast muscle of group B was significantly lower than that of group A (P< 0.05). Neither the muscle color nor the pH values at 0, 2, and 24 h postmortem were affected. The dietary carnosine decreased the TBARS values and increased the TAOC both in the blood and muscle significantly (P <0.01). These results suggest that dietary carnosine improves chicken meat quantity and quality.