Effects of dietary supplemented of γ-amino butyric acid on growth performance, blood biochemical indices and intestinal morphology of yellow-feathered broilers exposed to a high temperature environment

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to study the effects of γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) on growth performance, blood biochemical indices and intestinal morphology of yellow-feathered broilers exposed to a high temperature environment. One hundred and forty four, 28-day-old male yellow-feathered broilers were separated into 2 groups with 6 replicates and 12 birds per replicate. The two experimental groups included: control group, which fed the basal diet, and GABA supplemented group, which fed the basal diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg GABA. After 7 days of feeding experimental diet at 26 °C, birds were fed the experimental diet and exposed to a high temperature environment at 35 °C and 60% RH for 14 days. Results revealed that average daily gain (ADG, p = .004) and average daily feed intake (ADFI, p = .003) of the GABA group were higher than control group, feed: gain ratio (F/G; p = .023) and mortality (p = .042) were lower than control group. The serum levels of glucose (GLU; p = .016), total cholesterol (T-CHO; p = .001), and low density lipoprotein (LDL; p = .001) as well as the activities of aspartate-aminotransferase (AST; p = .008), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH; p = .042) and creatine kinase (CK; p = .032) of the GABA group were lower than control group, while villus length (p = .016) of jejunum was higher than control group. In conclusion, adding 100 mg/kg GABA to diet can improve growth performance, reduce serum intracellular enzyme activities, protect the organs and intestinal morphology of yellow-feathered broilers exposed to a high temperature environment during 36-49 days of age.

Highlights

• GABA improves growth performance of yellow-feathered broilers exposed to a high temperature environment.

• GABA protects the intestine of yellow-feathered broilers exposed to a high temperature environment.

Keywords:

• high temperature environment
• yellow-feathered broiler
• γ-amino butyric acid
• growth performance
• intestinal morphology

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by the earmarked fund for Jiangsu Agricultural Industry Technology System [JATS[2019]379], and Innovation Capacity Building Programme of Jiangsu Province [BM2018026].