Effects of Zinc Nanoparticles on Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, Immunity, and Meat Quality of Broiler Chickens

Zinc (Zn) supplementation of food can be used in broilers to overcome Zn deficiencies in human and also to improve the growth rate and immune system of birds. Due to the lack of information about the impact of Zn nanoparticles (Zn-NPs) on meat quality, this study was conducted to evaluate the differences between die-tary Zn-NPs and other Zn sources on broiler performance, carcass characteristics, humoral immunity, meat quality, meat Zn content, as well as fresh and frozen meat oxidative values. Day-old broiler chicks (Ross 308, n=240) were randomly divided into six dietary treatments with four replicates, based on a completely randomized design (d 1-42). Dietary treatments composed of different Zn sources supplemented per kg of basal diet (30 mg/kg Zn) included: control (70 mg from ZnSO4), 70ZAAC (70 mg from Zn amino acid complex), 30BZMO (30 mg Zn from Zn-NPs), 50BZMO (50 mg Zn from Zn-NPs), 70BZMO (70 mg Zn from Zn-NPs), and 90BZMO (90 mg Zn from Zn-NPs). Results showed a higher amount of IgM in chick-ens fed with Zn-NPs and 70ZAAC, though no effect was found on performance, carcass characteristics, and also the relative weight of lymphatic organs. Breast meat shear force, redness and lightness indexes, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and Zn content were significantly affected by experimental diets, though no effect of treatments was observed on MDA and Zn content of thigh muscle. Lower pH value of breast meat was found in chickens fed with Zn-NPs and 70ZAAC. The present results showed that 30BZMO, as a recommended Zn-NPs treatment, supported growth performance, improved humoral immunity, Zn content of breast meat, and meat quality, while decreasing MDA content of breast meat.