Effects of Coenzyme Q10 on Growth Performance and Heart Mitochondrial Function of Broilers Under High Altitude Induced Hypoxia

In order to test whether exogenous coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)) can improve growth performance and heart mitochondrial function of broilers grown at high altitude, a study was conducted on a farm in Xining City of Qinghai Province of China at an altitude of 2,200 m with a 78% of partial pressure of atmospheric oxygen (O-2) as compared to that at sea level. Three hundred, 1-d-old male, broilers (Arbor Acres) were divided into three groups and fed diets supplemented with 0 mg (control, C), 20 mg (Q1) or 40 mg (Q2) CoQ(10) per kg feed. CoQ(10) supplementation increased body weight (BW) of broilers at 21 d of age. BWs of Q1 (551.6 +/- 9.8 g) and Q2 (509.4 +/- 10.7 g) were higher than that of C (465.7 +/- 10.3 g) at 21 d of age (P<0.05). At 42 d of age, BW of Q1 (2047.5 +/- 40.8 g) was higher than that of C (1895.9 +/- 39.0 g; P<0.05). Supplementation with CoQ(10) decreased heart weight as a percentage of total BW (P<0.05) and improved yield (% BW) of breast muscle (P<0.05) as compared to C. Supplementation with CoQ(10) at 40 mg/kg feed decreased drip loss of breast muscle (P<0.05). Oxygen consumption of state III respiration and succinate-CoQ oxidoreductase (complex II) activity of heart mitochondria were increased by supplementation of CoQ(10) (P<0.05). Supplemental CoQ(10) at 40 mg/kg feed increased state IV respiration rate (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in respiration control rate of heart mitochondria among the three treatment groups. Supplementation with CoQ(10) at 20 mg/kg increased glutathione peroxidase activity (P<0.05), and concomitantly decreased (P<0.05) the content of malondialdehyde in serum of 35-d old broilers. These findings suggest that CoQ(10) can be used as a growth promoter in broilers at high altitude.