Effects of tryptophan supplementation on growth performance, antioxidative activity, and meat quality of ducks under high stocking density

• DOI: 10.3382/ps/pev155
• Publication Date: 2015-06-19T01:30:52Z
• Authors: Y. Liu; J.M. Yuan; L.S. Zhang; Y.R. Zhang; S.M. Cai; J.H. Yu; Z.F. Xia
• Keywords: Malondialdehyde

High stocking density (STD) could affect duck welfare and production. The objective of our study was to investigate whether dietary tryptophan (TRP) supplementation alleviate the detrimental effects high STD on ducks. White Pekin ducks at 4 6 wk age were raised 11 birds/m(2) fed diets containing 0.18, 0.48, 0.78, or 1.08% TRP for 21 d. Growth performance, concentrations metabolites in blood hypothalamus, antioxidative activities serum tissue, meat quality, uric acid, urea nitrogen measured. Weight gain feed efficiency significantly improved by ≥ 0.48 0.78% (P < 0.05 P 0.001, respectively). Serum TRP, hypothalamic 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), 5-hydroxyindoleacitic acid (5-HIAA), 5-HIAA/5-HT also increased 0.01). These increases plateaued 0.48% no further improvement obtained adding more diet. Dietary levels total antioxidant capacity, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT) serum; GSH-Px liver; CAT breast muscle 0.05). Malondialdehyde decreased 0.001). Drip loss pH decline 45 min postmortem reduced 0.01 0.05, Meat color similar among different treatments > Breast shear force when level For birds/m², stress improve growth activity, quality.