Evaluation of a Lecithin Supplementation on Growth Performance, Meat Quality, Lipid Metabolism, and Cecum Microbiota of Broilers

Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of lecithin on the performance, meat quality, lipid metabolism, and cecum microbiota of broilers. One hundred and ninety-two one-day-old AA broilers with similar body weights (38 ± 1.0 g) were randomly assigned to two groups with six replicates of sixteen birds each and were supplemented with 0 and 1 g/kg of lecithin for forty-two days. Performance and clinical observations were measured and recorded throughout the study. Relative organ weight, meat quality, lipid-related biochemical parameters and enzyme activities were also measured. Compared with broilers in the control group, broilers in the lecithin treatment group showed a significant increase in L* value and tenderness (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the abdominal adipose index of broilers was markedly decreased in lecithin treatment after 42 days (p < 0.05). In the lipid metabolism, broilers in the lecithin treatment group showed a significant increase in hepatic lipase and general esterase values at 21 days compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Lower Firmicutes and higher Bacteroidetes levels in phylum levels were observed in the lecithin treatment group after 21 and 42 days. The distribution of lactobacillus, clostridia, and rikenella in genus levels were higher in the lecithin treatment group after 21 and 42 days. No statistically significant changes were observed in performance, relative organ weight, or other serum parameters (p > 0.05). These results indicate that supplementation with lecithin significantly influence the lipid metabolism in broilers at 21 and 42 days, which resulted in the positive effect on the meat color, tenderness, and abdominal adipose in broilers.

Keywords: broilers; gut microbial community; lecithin; lipid metabolism; performance.

Figure 1

Effects of lecithin on the profiles of cecal microbial community after 21 days according to phylum for the control group (A) and lecithin treatment group (B).

Figure 2

Effects of lecithin on the profiles of cecal microbial community after 42 days according to phylum for the control group (A) and lecithin treatment group (B).

Figure 3

Principal components analysis (PCA) plots of samples from different days and groups: 21 (A) and 42 (B) days. Red dot means control group and blue dot means lecithin treatment group.