Combination of brewer’s yeast (S. Cerevisiae) with vitamin e as a replacement for the vitamin-mineral premix in broiler diets

Current poultry uses various additives, including those of natural origin, to achieve better quality products, with high protein value and less fat. One of these additives, which may be considered among the most widely used probiotics, is brewer's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, because it is rich in proteins of high biological value (44.4% BP) and has high levels of lysine (3.23%) and methionine (0.70%), tryptophan (0.49%), among other amino acids, besides complex B vitamins (NRC, 1994). These characteristics, and the presence of mano-oligo-saccharides in the cell wall, generate positive effects, acting as bio-regulators of the intestinal flora, improving the absorption of nutrients, among other benefits in chicken meat production (Aghdamshahriar et al., 2006; Reed & Nagodawithana, 1991, Peralta et al., 2008).

Different studies have included brewer's yeast in different percentages in diets for broilers, with positive results in production variables (Onifade, 1998; Miazzo et al., 2001). Similarly, Sentihilkumar et al. (1997) achieved better results when adding yeast to the diet of broilers, by 5 to 20 % and Churchil et al. (2000) and Yang et al. (2007), when adding 0.1 or 0.2 %.

Also, in other trials, when 0.05% and 0.10%  of vitamin-mineral premix were replaced with 0.3% of S. cerevisiae (Miazzo et al., 2001; 2003), or ½ and 2/3 of the vitamin-mineral premix were replaced with 0.15 and 0.30% of brewer's yeast (Nilson. et al., 2004 and Miazzo & Peralta, 2006), beneficial effects became evident in the production variables. Indeed, in recent experiences with broilers in the final stage of growth, when the meat quality was studied, weight increases in breast and thighs, as well as a reduction of abdominal fat were observed in birds that consumed 0.30% of yeast (Miazzo et al. 2005a; 2005b; 2005c; 2006). Then, based on these results, and highlighting the antioxidant effect of vitamin E in decreasing oxidative stress (Bou et al., 2006; Huerta Jimenez et al., 2005; Kennedy et al., 2005), and the improvement in meat quality, our recent work focused on combining yeast with vitamin E. These studies identified significant improvements in breast weight and abdominal fat reduction when combining 0.30% of S. cerevisiae with 200 ppm of vitamin E, compared to diets without the vitamin E content, but without showing any differences neither in meat performance nor in thigh weight (Miazzo et al., 2007; 2008; 2009; Linares et al., 2009; Onifade et al., 1999).

The objective of this work was to verify the effect of combining Brewer's Yeast with vitamin (E), as a replacement for the vitamin-mineral premix in commercial-type diets, on the growth and quality of the broiler meat. 

90 Cobb male broilers were used. They were sexed on the first day of life, as biological determiners, both at the stage of initiation (1 to 28 days of life) and at the final stage (29 to 43 days of life). Three treatments were performed: T1: Commercial-type diet with the vitamin-mineral premix (0.15%) and without Yeast or Vitamin E; T2: Diet with no vitamin-mineral premix, with 0.3 % Yeast and 200 ppm of vitamin E, and T3: Diet with no vitamin-mineral premix, with 0.6 % Yeast and 200 ppm of vitamin E. 6 Birds per pen were used and six pens per treatment, distributed at random.

In all cases, the composition of diets according to NRC (1994) ensured, at the initial stage, a contribution of 20-21% GW and 3100 Kcal/Kg ME and, a the final stage, of 18-19% GW and 3200 Kcal/Kg ME.

Between days 25 and 43 of life the following production variables were considered: Average daily weight gain (g/bird/day), average daily consumption (g/bird/day) and food conversion rate. After the experiment, and to evaluate the quality of the meat, all the birds were slaughtered in an experimental slaughterhouse, after determination of their live weight, which was related to the weight of the carcass, for carcass performance determination. Later, after 24 hours of refrigeration at 5 ° C, carcasses were cut to determine Carcass Performance (CP %), breast weight BW (g), thigh weight g (TW) and abdominal fat weight (AFW, g).

Data were evaluated following a completely randomized design, and analyzed using ANOVA and, later, a Tukey test, considering p≤0.05 (R 2.12.2, 2010) as significant values.

No significant differences were identified among the treatments both in production variables and in the live weight of birds and in carcass performance. These results do not coincide with previous experiences, in which improvements were observed (Onifade, 1998; Miazzo et al., 2001; Churchil et al., 2000; Yang et al., 2007).

With regard to the private parts of the carcass, breast and thighs and abdominal fat, birds that consumed diets from which the vitamin-mineral premix was removed and to which yeast and vitamin E were added showed significantly better results (p≤ 0.05) than the controls, which contained the premix without yeast or vitamin E, as shown in Table 1. Furthermore, it was observed that, while there were no significant differences, a trend towards greater muscle formation in breast and thigh and less abdominal fat showed in birds that received the higher addition of yeast (0.6%) (Table 1).

These results are consistent, in part, with those obtained by Linares et al. (2009), Miazzo et al. (2001; 2003; 2005a; 2005b; 2005c; 2006; 2007; 2008; 2009), Miazzo & Peralta (2006), Nilson. et al. (2004) and Onifade et al. (1999).

This positive effect may be due to the action of yeast, acting as a probiotic, improving the non pathogenic microbial flora, as well as providing vitamins, protein and essential amino acids to stimulate the immune system of birds, which, combined with the addition of the vitamin E could, in part, replace the vitamin-mineral premix. To corroborate this, it will be necessary to continue studying both the levels of inclusion of yeast and their complementation with vitamin E and other vitamins.

Table 1. Average daily consumption (ADC, g), average daily weight gain (ADWG, g), food conversion rate (FCR), live weight (LW, g), carcass performance (CP, %), breast weight BW (g) thigh weight (TW, g) and abdominal fat weight (AFW, g) in birds that received different treatments and were slaughtered at 43 days of life.

We conclude that the addition of Yeast (0.3 and 0.6%) combined with vitamin E (200 ppm) as a replacement for the vitamin-mineral premix partly improved meat quality in broilers that consumed it. although it would be convenient to continue research on this combination. in order to confirm results.

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