Potential Mechanism and Effects of Different Selenium Sources and Different Effective Microorganism Supplementation Levels on Growth Performance, Meat Quality, and Muscle Fiber Characteristics of Three-Yellow Chickens

A trial was conducted to investigate the effects of different Se sources, including sodium selenite (S-Se) and selenium yeast (Y-Se) and different effective microorganism (EM) addition levels on growth performance, meat quality, and muscle fiber characteristics of three-yellow chickens and its potential mechanism. A total of 400 birds were randomly distributed into 4 groups (S-Se, S-Se + EM, Y-Se, and Y-Se + EM groups) consisting of a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. The main factors were the source of Se (I-Se = inorganic Se: 0.2 mg/kg S-Se; O-Se = organic Se: 0.2 mg/kg Y-Se) and the level of EM (H-EMB = high EM: 0.5% EM; Z(EMB) = low EM: 0% EM). Each treatment had 5 replicates and each replicate consisted of 20 broiler chickens. The trial lasted for 70 days. The results showed that, in breast muscle, the broiler chickens fed O-Se source decreased the pH(24h), drip loss, shear force, perimeter, cross-sectional area, and diameter, but increased the a24h* and density compared with the broiler chickens fed I-Se source (p < 0.05); broiler chickens supplied with H-EMB level decreased the cross-sectional area and diameter, but increased the pH(24h), a24h,* and density compared with the broiler chickens supplied with Z(EMB) level (p < 0.05). In thigh muscle, O-Se source and H-EMB level also could improve the meat quality and change muscle fiber characteristics of broiler chickens (p < 0.05). Meat quality was correlated with the muscle fiber characteristics (p < 0.05). O-Se source and H-EMB level could regulate the expression levels of muscle fiber-relative genes in the breast and thigh muscles (p < 0.05). In conclusion, O-Se source and H-EMB level could improve the meat quality of the breast and thigh muscles of three-yellow chickens by changing the muscle fiber characteristics, and they changed the muscle fiber characteristics by regulating the expression levels of muscle fiber-relative genes.

Automated summary

This study investigated the effects of different Se sources and effective microorganism addition levels on the growth performance, meat quality, and muscle fiber characteristics of three-yellow chickens. The results showed that organic Se source and high effective microorganism level improved meat quality and changed muscle fiber characteristics by regulating the expression levels of muscle fiber-relative genes.