Influence of Lactobacillus reuteri on internal organ weight, performance and meat quality of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) under heat stress

Abstract

In the present study, the effects of Lactobacillus reuteri E81 (LRE) supplemented at different doses (200, 400 and 600 mg/kg) into the diets on performance, meat quality and internal organ weights of Japanese quail ( Coturnix coturnix japonica) were investigated under heat stress (HS) conditions ( 37°C). For the experiments, 448 one-day old quails were used. Seven days of training (physical exercise) and a 35-day fattening period were applied. On day 7 of the trial, 8 groups [4 under control temperature of 25°C (CT): control (C), LRE-200, LRE-400 and LRE-600 and 4 under HS: control (HSC), SLRE-200, SLRE-400 and SLRE-600] were formed, each group consisting of four replicates with 14 quail each. At the end of this study, the CT group fed 400 mg/kg LRE showed the best performance results, whereas no effect was found for groups under HS in comparison to the control group (HSC). Samples taken on the 21 st and 42 nd day revealed that addition of probiotics in the CT and HS groups induced no effect on weight of the internal organs (p > 0.05). Analysis of meat quality on the 21 st day showed that LRE caused an increase in pH in both the HS and CT groups. Further, 400-mg/kg LRE supplementation induced an increase in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in the group under HS. In the CT groups on day 42 no effect of LRE was found on colour parameters or on the TBARS value, except for a decrease in the pH value in the LRE supplemented groups compared with the control. In HS groups a decrease in the L* value and an increase in the TBARS value was found compared to CT groups (p < 0.05), but there was no effect on other colour parameters or pH value. In conclusion, in the present study supplementation of different doses of LRE E81 to quail diets had no effect on performance, internal organ weight or meat quality under HS.