Effects of Supplemental Boron on Growth Performance and Meat Quality in African Ostrich Chicks

摘要

To investigate the effects of boron on growth performance and meat quality, 10-day-old Africa ostrich chicks were randomly divided into 6 groups with 6 replicates in each group. For 80 days, birds in the treatments were fed the same basal diet but given different concentrations of boron-supplemented water. The highest final BW (33.4 +/- 0.30 kg), ADFI (376 +/- 1.83 g), and ADG (224 +/- 1.01 g) appeared in the group receiving 160 mg/L boron (group 4). 160 mg/L boron also decreased drip loss (2.20 +/- 0.59), cooking loss (35.3 +/- 1.14), and elevated pH value (6.13 +/- 0.28) of meat (P < 0.05). Ostrich chicks in the 640 mg/L treatment group (group 6) had the lowest final BW (30.8 +/- 1.05 kg) and ADG (208 +/- 0.74 g) (P < 0.05). The highest ash (1.35 +/- 0.01%) and pH (6.18 +/- 0.03) and the lowest protein (20.4 +/- 1.74%), drip loss (2.10 +/- 0.76%), cooking loss (35.0 +/- 0.41%), C18:1 (28.2 +/- 0.6596), and C18:3 omega 3 (2.60 +/- 0.51%) appeared in group 6 (P < 0.05) as well. Overall, the optimum concentration of 160 mg/L supplemental boron improved ostrich growth performance and meat quality; however, high concentrations of boron decreased both performance and meat quality.