Author
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Rosebrough, Robert |
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Mitchell, Alva |
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Submitted to: Growth Development and Aging
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 10/23/2005 Publication Date: 7/8/2006 Citation: Rosebrough, R.W., Mitchell, A.D. 2006. Growth characteristics of the Ross 708 broiler chicken. Development and Aging. 70(2):3-13. Interpretive Summary: Excess fat production by the modern broiler chicken presents a two-fold problem. The consumer has health concerns about the link between cardiovascular disease and dietary fat. The producer would like to produce more lean meat rather than fat condemned at the processing plant. Historically shifts in metabolism have resulted in dietary fat being merely shunted to replace that synthesized from other feed ingredients. We have found that altering feeding regimens and dietary crude protein in the broiler will cause permanent changes in fat synthesis and storage, such that dietary fat will not be shunted to body fat stores. The present study was designed to determine if dietary protein elicited changes in intermediary metabolism and if changes resulted from alterations in the expression of genes coding for certain regulatory proteins. Although increasing dietary protein decreased fat synthesis by the broiler, gene expression did not accompany this decrease unless the diet contained a very high level of protein. Modest increases in dietary protein will decrease lipid synthesis without affecting gene expression. Technical Abstract: A growth trial was conducted with the Ross 708 broiler chicken to corroborate the relationships between changes in the growth curve (7 to 35 days) and in vitro metabolic parameters. These in vitro parameters also included estimates of the expression of certain genes regulating proteins implicated with regulation of lipogenesis. Birds were fed diets containing 24% protein from 0 to 14 days of age, 21% from 14 to 26 days of age and 18% protein until 35 days of age. Birds were selected and killed at ages corresponding to protein changes. Dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to approximate body composition of birds at day 35. The switch from the starter protein level of 24% crude protein to the only slightly lower protein grower diet (21% crude protein) increased both in vitro lipogenesis and malic enzyme activity. A similar observation was noted when the birds were switched to the 18% crude protein finisher diet. These same switches also elicited initial increases in malic enzyme, fatty acids synthase and acetyl CoA carboxylase gene expression that were not sustained following adaptation to the dietary change. Data also show that DXA can be used to estimate body composition of this type of bird. |
