Effects of the organic selenium sources with/without probiotics on broiler chicken growth, meat quality and meat selenium content

Context Selenium is an essential trace micronutrient that plays an important biological role in maintenance of animal health. Aims The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of dietary supplementation of selenium (Se)-enriched yeast (SeY), Se–chitosan (SeCh), and selenised glucose (SeGlu) as organic forms of Se, as well as the interaction of these compounds with probiotics, on broiler chicken growth, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and meat Se concentration. Methods In total, 300 1-day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens were randomly assigned to six experimental groups in a 3 × 2 factorial treatment arrangement. Factors tested included Se sources (SeY, SeCh, and SeGlu at a concentration of 0.3 mg/kg) and probiotics (a mixture of probiotic bacteria containing Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus lichen formis, Lactobacillus faecium, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Lactobacillus plantarum, at concentrations of 0 and 100 mg/kg). The treatments were replicated in five floor pens, with 10 broiler chickens per pen. Key results For the entire period (1–42 days), broiler chickens given SeCh or SeGlu showed a lower feed conversion ratio than did broiler chickens fed SeY (P < 0.05). Furthermore, broiler chickens fed diets supplemented with SeGlu without or with probiotics had considerably higher breast relative weight than did those fed SeY without probiotics. In comparison to SeY-fed birds, those fed SeCh or SeGlu had lower thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, drip loss, cooking loss, and higher water-holding capacity values in the breast muscle (P < 0.05). Birds fed diets supplemented with SeCh and SeGlu with probiotics had higher yellowness and lower thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and cooking loss in breast meat than did birds fed diets supplemented with SeY without or with probiotics. Furthermore, the concentration of Se in meat was higher in birds fed a SeGlu diet with probiotics than in other treatments, except in birds fed a SeCh diet with probiotics. Conclusions Compared to the use of SeY, the use of SeCh and SeGlu as new Se forms is a simple, unique, and cost-effective technique for improving broiler chicken growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality. Implications These findings provide a basis for the application of SeCh and SeGlu in chicken broiler diets.