Dietary pterostilbene supplementation enhances growth performance, meat quality, antioxidant capacity, and cecal microbiota in yellow-feathered broilers.
- 1College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, PR China.
- 2College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, PR China. Electronic address: [email protected].
Abstract
This study evaluated effects of dietary supplementation with different levels of pterostilbene (PTE) on growth performance, meat quality, antioxidant capacity, and cecal microbial community in yellow-feathered broilers. A total of 240 one-day-old male broilers with similar initial body weights (36.68 ± 0.27 g) were assigned to four dietary treatments, each having six replicate pens containing ten birds: CON (basal diet), PTE150 (150 mg pterostilbene / kg diet), PTE300 (300 mg pterostilbene /kg diet), and PTE450 (450 mg pterostilbene / kg diet). Dietary supplementation of PTE significantly improved final body weight (FBW) and average daily gain (ADG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR), during the periods of 1-21, 21-42, and 1-42 days (P < 0.05). Broilers fed PTE significantly reduced the pH24h in muscles (P < 0.05). In breast muscle, PTE significantly decreased b*₁₅ min, drip loss, and shear force, while it significantly increased the L*₂₄ h (P < 0.05). In thigh muscle, PTE supplementation significantly increased L*₂₄ h (P < 0.001), reduced drip loss and cooking loss (P < 0.05). Additionally, dietary PTE supplementation significantly increased moisture content in breast muscle and crude protein content in thigh muscle (P < 0.001). In the serum GSH‑Px, CAT, and SOD were significantly increased (P < 0.05); breast muscle T‑AOC, GSH‑Px, CAT, and SOD were significantly increased (P < 0.05); thigh muscle T‑AOC and CAT were significantly increased (P < 0.05); and jejunal and ileal T‑AOC, GSH‑Px, and SOD were significantly increased (P < 0.05), with jejunal CAT significantly increased (P < 0.05). Concurrently, PTE supplementation resulted in extremely significant reductions in MDA in serum, thigh muscle, and ileum (P < 0.001). Additionally, pterostilbene optimized the gut microbial structure. At the family level, the relative abundances of Ruminococcaceae and Oscillospiraceae in the 300 mg/kg PTE group. PTE exerts significant benefits on growth performance, antioxidant status, and meat quality in yellow‑feathered broilers, along with favorable modulation of the cecal microbiota, supporting its potential as a promising feed additive in commercial broiler production.
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BibTeX
@article{li2026dietary,
title = {{Dietary pterostilbene supplementation enhances growth performance, meat quality, antioxidant capacity, and cecal microbiota in yellow-feathered broilers.}},
author = {Xinyan Li and Jiajun Hao and Zhongyu Li and Haoyang Sun and Xiao Liu},
journal = {Poultry science},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1016/j.psj.2026.107905},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42854496},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Dietary pterostilbene supplementation enhances growth performance, meat quality, antioxidant capacity, and cecal microbiota in yellow-feathered broilers.
AU - Xinyan Li
AU - Jiajun Hao
AU - Zhongyu Li
AU - Haoyang Sun
AU - Xiao Liu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/05
JO - Poultry science
DO - 10.1016/j.psj.2026.107905
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42854496
AB - This study evaluated effects of dietary supplementation with different levels of pterostilbene (PTE) on growth performance, meat quality, antioxidant capacity, and cecal microbial community in yellow-feathered broilers. A total of 240 one-day-old male broilers with similar initial body weights (36.68 ± 0.27 g) were assigned to four dietary treatments, each having six replicate pens containing ten birds: CON (basal diet), PTE150 (150 mg pterostilbene / kg diet), PTE300 (300 mg pterostilbene /kg diet), and PTE450 (450 mg pterostilbene / kg diet). Dietary supplementation of PTE significantly improved final body weight (FBW) and average daily gain (ADG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR), during the periods of 1-21, 21-42, and 1-42 days (P < 0.05). Broilers fed PTE significantly reduced the pH24h in muscles (P < 0.05). In breast muscle, PTE significantly decreased b*₁₅ min, drip loss, and shear force, while it significantly increased the L*₂₄ h (P < 0.05). In thigh muscle, PTE supplementation significantly increased L*₂₄ h (P < 0.001), reduced drip loss and cooking loss (P < 0.05). Additionally, dietary PTE supplementation significantly increased moisture content in breast muscle and crude protein content in thigh muscle (P < 0.001). In the serum GSH‑Px, CAT, and SOD were significantly increased (P < 0.05); breast muscle T‑AOC, GSH‑Px, CAT, and SOD were significantly increased (P < 0.05); thigh muscle T‑AOC and CAT were significantly increased (P < 0.05); and jejunal and ileal T‑AOC, GSH‑Px, and SOD were significantly increased (P < 0.05), with jejunal CAT significantly increased (P < 0.05). Concurrently, PTE supplementation resulted in extremely significant reductions in MDA in serum, thigh muscle, and ileum (P < 0.001). Additionally, pterostilbene optimized the gut microbial structure. At the family level, the relative abundances of Ruminococcaceae and Oscillospiraceae in the 300 mg/kg PTE group. PTE exerts significant benefits on growth performance, antioxidant status, and meat quality in yellow‑feathered broilers, along with favorable modulation of the cecal microbiota, supporting its potential as a promising feed additive in commercial broiler production.
SN - 0032-5791
SN - 1525-3171
ER -