Dietary omega-3 fatty acids modulate meat quality and intestinal histology in high-density broiler production

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary omega-3 fatty acids on the growth performance, fatty acid composition of breast muscle, and histological characteristics of the intestine and breast muscle in broiler chicks reared under high-density condition. A total of 420 day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were allocated to a 2 × 2 factorial design consisting of two stocking density (SD) levels (low: 9 birds/ m 2 and high: 17 birds/ m 2 ) and two dietary omega-3 fatty acid levels (0% and 0.5%) over a 40-day experimental period. The results indicated that the average daily feed intake (ADFI) and average daily gain (ADG) were increased in the high SD group during the overall growth period (P < 0.05). During the finisher phase (days 25–40), a significant interaction between high stocking density and the absence of omega-3 supplementation resulted in reduced ADFI (P < 0.02). Conversely, broilers exposed to high stocking density and supplemented with 0.5% dietary omega-3 fatty acids demonstrated a significantly greater ADG over the same period (P < 0.02). High SD was also associated with a reduction in villus height (VH) and VH to crypt depth (CD) ratio (VH/CD; P < 0.0001), accompanied by an increase in CD (P < 0.03). Dietary omega-3 supplementation ameliorated the adverse histopathological changes in the intestine of broiler chicks subjected to high SD (P < 0.05). Omega-3 supplementation significantly increased the diameter of breast muscle cell (P < 0.05). High SD reduced the number of breast muscle cell (P < 0.01), whereas omega-3 supplementation mitigated this effect by increasing the breast muscle cell count (P < 0.002). Broiler chicks reared under high SD and supplemented with 0.5% dietary omega-3 fatty acids exhibited a significant increase in the levels of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (P < 0.0001). In conclusion, high SD adversely affects growth performance, intestinal structure, and breast muscle characteristics in broiler chicks. However, dietary supplementation with 0.5% omega-3 fatty acids mitigates these effects by improving growth, intestinal histology, muscle fiber size and number, and breast meat fatty acid composition under high-density conditions.