Pro- and Antioxidants in the Diets of Broilers and their Effects on Carcass Quality: Copper, Selenium and Acidulated Soybean-Oil Soapstock

The present study was carried out to study the effects of the combinations of various concentrations of dietary copper (Cu) or selenium (Se), acidulated soybean-oil soapstock (ASS), and calorie-to-protein (C:P) ratio on carcass quality of broilers. Supplemental Cu or Se did not have any marked effect on fat accumulation, degree of saturation of this fat, or on the stability of carcass fat and meat to oxidation. Widening the dietary C:P ratio, with or without ASS supplementation, increased fat deposition, the degree of saturation of carcass fat and its stability as well as that of the meat. Supplemental ASS significantly increased the degree of unsaturation of carcass fat and decreased its stability in the presence of dietary antioxidants, but increased fat stability in their absence. In both instances meat stability increased significantly if judged by initial TBA values, or decreased significantly if estimated on the basis of change in TBA values during incubation.