Multi-omics analyses reveal the regulatory mechanisms of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol to improve meat quality in Pekin ducks

This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with vitamin D 3 (VD 3 ) or 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OH-D 3 ) on the Pekin ducks meat quality using multi-omics (lipidomics, metabolomics, and transcriptomics). Male Pekin ducks (15-d-old, N = 168) were allocated to 3 groups, with 8 replicates of 7 ducks from 15 to 42 d. Experimental diets included the control diet lacking vitamin D, a diet with 1,200 IU/kg VD 3 or 1,200 IU/kg 25-OH-D 3 . Both VD 3 and 25-OH-D 3 increased carcass weight, carcass rate, eviscerated weight, and breast meat weight of Pekin ducks. VD 3 or 25-OH-D 3 supplementation enhanced plasma 25-OH-D 3 concentrations, breast meat redness, total antioxidant capacity, and total superoxide dismutase activity in plasma and breast meat, while 25-OH-D 3 exhibited more pronounced effects than VD 3 . Compared to the Control and VD 3 group, 25-OH-D 3 increased breast meat pH 45min and pH 24h , and decreased yellowness. Compared to the VD 3 group, 25-OH-D 3 enhanced breast meat polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), n-6 PUFA, and n-3 PUFA contents. Lipidomics and metabolomics revealed that 25-OH-D 3 increased breast meat diacylglycerol (ether bond), taurine-derived, and L-arginine, etc. Compared to the Control and VD 3 group. Transcriptomics revealed that 25-OH-D 3 upregulated ApoA4 , ApoC3 , ApoH , and HMGCS2 compared to the Control and VD 3 group, which may promote the synthesis of taurine derivatives and thus enhance antioxidant capacity. In conclusion, supplemental vitamin D improves breast meat quality of Pekin ducks, while 25-OH-D 3 is more effective in potentiating antioxidant status, activating lipid transport. • VD 3 or 25-OH-D 3 supplementation increased breast meat weight of Pekin ducks. • 25-OH-D 3 exceeded VD 3 in improving meat color and pH, both raised T-SOD and T-AOC. • 25-OH-D 3 upregulated breast taurine derivatives, APOA4 , APOC3 , APOH , and HMGCS2. • 25-OH-D 3 improved meat quality by enhancing antioxidant and lipid transport.