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Morinda officinalis Polysaccharide Supplement Improves Meat Quality in Late-Stage Wenchang Chicken Breeding

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This experiment aimed to study the effects of adding Morinda officinalis polysaccharide (MOP) on the growth, carcass performance and meat quality of Wenchang chickens. A total of 480 eighty-one-day-old Wenchang chickens were randomly allocated into five groups using a completely randomized design, with eight replicates per group (n = 8 per treatment). The control group received a basal diet (CON group), while the experimental group was given a diet with 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 mg/kg MOP supplements. During the 40 day trial, MOP supplementation did not affect the growth and carcass performance (p > 0.05), but it increased the a* value of breast muscles compared to the CON group. The breast and thigh muscles in the MOP group had significantly lower shear force than those in the CON group (p < 0.05). The MOP groups significantly decreased the muscle fibers’ cross-sectional area and diameter in the breast and thigh muscles of Wenchang chickens compared to the CON group (p < 0.05). The MOP500 group notably raised the total number of essential amino acids and total amino acid levels in Wenchang chickens, whereas the MOP1000 group significantly lowered the total SFA concentration (p < 0.05). Collectively, MOP enhances Wenchang chickens’ meat quality, with optimal results at 1000 mg/kg.

Source: Biology

DOI: 10.3390/biology14091235