Beta-hydroxy-β-methyl butyrate-supplemented diet for broiler chickens is more conducive to dietary protein reduction than a leucine-supplemented diet until 21 days old.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the effects of l-leucine (LLPD) or HMB (HLPD) supplementation in a low-protein diet on performance, carcass weight, muscle yield, meat quality, and intestinal morphometry in broiler chickens.
Results Summary
The low-protein diet (LPD) decreased body weight gain and feed intake while increasing feed conversion ratio compared to a standard protein diet (SPD). HMB supplementation (HLPD) improved dressing percentage and intestinal morphometry but did not affect meat quality.
Population
Broiler chickens (until 21 days old).
Effective Dosage
Not specified.
Duration
42 days (intervention until 21 days old, with follow-up until 42 days).
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
low-protein diet (20%, LPD) | decrease | body weight gain | broiler chickens | - | decreased | #1 |
low-protein diet (20%, LPD) | decrease | feed intake (FI) | broiler chickens | - | decreased | #2 |
low-protein diet (20%, LPD) | increase | feed conversion ratio | broiler chickens | - | increased | #3 |
l-leucine supplementation in a low-protein diet (LLPD) | no change | FI | broiler chickens | - | did not affect | #4 |
l-leucine supplementation in a low-protein diet (LLPD) | decrease | body weight gain | broiler chickens | - | decreased | #5 |
l-leucine supplementation in a low-protein diet (LLPD) | increase | feed conversion ratio | broiler chickens | - | increased | #6 |
low-protein diet (20%, LPD) | decrease | body and muscle weights | broiler chickens | - | had lower | #7 |
HMB supplementation in a low-protein diet (HLPD) | increase | dressing percentage | broiler chickens | - | increased | #8 |
low-protein diet (20%, LPD) | decrease | serum insulin-like growth factor-1 content | broiler chickens | - | decreased | #9 |
low-protein diet (20%, LPD) | decrease | duodenal villus height | broiler chickens | - | was smaller | #10 |
l-leucine supplementation in a low-protein diet (LLPD) | decrease | duodenal villus height | broiler chickens | - | was smaller | #11 |
HMB supplementation in a low-protein diet (HLPD) | decrease | duodenal villus width | broiler chickens | - | had lower | #12 |
HMB supplementation in a low-protein diet (HLPD) | increase | duodenal crypt depth | broiler chickens | - | were higher | #13 |
HMB supplementation in a low-protein diet (HLPD) | increase | ileal mucosal thickness | broiler chickens | - | were higher | #14 |
HMB supplementation in a low-protein diet (HLPD) | increase | ileal villus height | broiler chickens | - | enhanced | #15 |
l-leucine supplementation in a low-protein diet (LLPD) | increase | ileal villus height | broiler chickens | - | enhanced | #16 |
l-leucine supplementation in a low-protein diet (LLPD) | no change | meat quality traits | broiler chickens | - | did not affect | #17 |
HMB supplementation in a low-protein diet (HLPD) | no change | meat quality traits | broiler chickens | - | did not affect | #18 |
BACKGROUND: Dietary l-leucine or its metabolite 𝛽-hydroxy-𝛽-methylbutyrate (HMB) has a crucial role in the muscle protein metabolism of broilers during the first few-week growing period. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of l-leucine (LLPD) or HMB (HLPD) supplementation in a low-protein diet (20%, LPD) until 21 days old on performance, carcass weight, muscle yield and meat quality, as well as intestinal morphometry, in broiler chickens. RESULTS: From days 1-42, LPD decreased body weight gain and feed intake (FI) and increased feed conversion ratio compared to a standard protein diet (22%, SPD). The LLPD and HLPD did not affect FI, but the LLPD decreased the body weight gain and increased the feed conversion ratio compared to the SPD. The LPD group had lower body and muscle weights than other groups. Compared to LPD, HLPD increased dressing percentage. The LPD decreased the serum insulin-like growth factor-1 content compared to the SPD and LLPD. The duodenal villus height of the LPD and LLPD broilers was smaller than those of the SPD and HLPD birds. The HLPD broilers had lower duodenal villus width than the SPD birds. The duodenal crypt depth and ileal mucosal thickness were higher in the HLPD group than in other groups. The HLPD and LLPD enhanced the ileal villus height compared to the SPD. The LLPD and HLPD treatments did not affect meat quality traits compared to the SPD treatment. CONCLUSION: Dietary HMB could be a conducive approach to reducing dietary protein for broilers until 21 days old. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.