Effects of guanidinoacetic acid and complex antioxidant supplementation on growth performance, meat quality, and antioxidant function of broiler chickens

Abstract BACKGROUND This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of adding guanidinoacetic acid (GAA), or complex antioxidant (CA), or their combination, in diets on the growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and antioxidant capacity of broilers. A total of 192 25‐day‐old broilers were assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial design including two dietary supplements at two different levels, in which the main effects were the addition of GAA (0 or 600 mg kg −1 ) and CA (0 or 150 mg kg −1 ). This trial lasted for 18 days. RESULTS Compared with the control group, the GAA group, CA group, and GAA + CA group, decreased feed conversion ratio by 7.02%, 6.58%, and 11.40%, respectively. Guanidinoacetic supplementation increased eviscerated yield, pH 24h ( P < 0.05). Complex antioxidant supplementation increased the a* values ( P < 0.05). The combination of GAA and CA did not affect the carcass traits and meat quality. Guanidinoacetic acid alone and CA alone and combined with GAA and CA decreased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and malonaldehyde (MDA) content ( P < 0.05), and the GAA + CA group had the lowest ROS level and MDA content of broilers. CONCLUSION Dietary supplementation of GAA, CA or their combination had beneficial effects on growth performance and breast antioxidant capacity, and the combination of GAA and CA could exert a synergistic effect in improving antioxidant capacity. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry