Dietary Beta-Hydroxy-Beta-Methyl Butyrate Supplementation Affects Growth, Carcass Characteristics, Meat Quality, and Serum Metabolomics Profile in Broiler Chickens
Zhiyi Tang, Bo Song, Changbing Zheng, Jie Zheng, Yulong Yin, Jiashun Chen
Abstract
This study aimed to explore the effects of beta-hydroxy-beta-methyl butyrate (HMB) on serum metabolic profiles and meat quality of muscles in Wenshi broiler chickens. Birds were fed a basal diet with an additional 0, 0.05, 0.10, or 0.15% HMB, respectively. Results showed that dietary HMB quadratically increased the average daily gain ( P = 0.058) and decreased feed:gain ( P < 0.05) mainly in the starter phase. At 51 days of age, birds receiving 0.10% HMB diet exhibited less abdominal fat and more breast yield than the control ( P < 0.05). Moreover, dietary HMB quadratically decreased the L ∗ value and drip loss in selected muscles ( P < 0.05) and increased the a ∗ value in breast muscle ( P < 0.05). Serum metabolome profiling showed that the most differentially abundant metabolites are lipids and lipid-like molecules, including phosphatidylcholines. It was concluded that HMB improved growth performance and meat quality of muscle in broilers.