Excessive Aurantiochytrium acetophilum docosahexaenoic acid supplementation decreases growth performance and breast muscle mass of broiler chickens

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an n-3 polyunsaturated fatty with health-promoting potential. This study was to investigate effects of supplemental DHA from Aurantiochytrium acetophilum on growth performance, health status, meat quality, and protein synthesis signaling broiler chickens . Day-old male chicks were housed in environmental control room (6 cages/treatment, 8 chicks/cage), fed a corn-soybean meal basal diet supplemented the DHA-rich A. biomass (Heliae, Gilbert, AZ) at 0, 1, 2, 4% (0, 1.7, 3.4 6.8 g DHA/kg diet) for 6 weeks. Growth performance measured weekly. Blood samples collected weeks 3 (2 chicks/cage). Four tissues sampled chicks/cage) biochemical quality analyses. Data analyzed by one-way ANOVA regression. Compared control, decreased ( p < 0.05) body weight gain (19%) feed ratio during 4–6. The supplementation dose-dependently 0.05, R 2 = 0.21–0.54) plasma alanine amino transferase activity glucose concentrations , but had little effect alkaline phosphatase or inorganic phosphorus uric 6. breast muscle 21%, down-regulated mRNA levels mammalian target rapamycin ribosomal s6 (S6), phosphorylated S6 kinase beta 1 1. linearly increased 0.01) lipid peroxidation (R 0.62–0.90) hardness chewiness 0.34–0.44) thigh muscles. In conclusion, (6.8 DHA/kg), not 2%, impaired mass accumulation, and(or) broilers. • Supplemental g/kg chickens. weight. elevated chewiness, hardness, peroxides. modulated signaling.