Dried watermelon rind mash diet increases plasma L-citrulline level in chicks
Nguyen, L.T.N. (Kyushu University, Fukuoka (Japan). Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Science, Laboratory of Regulation in Metabolism and Behavior) | Han, G. | Yang, H. | Ikeda, H. | Eltahan, H.M. | Chowdhury, V.S. | Furuse, M.
Heat stress is an increasing concern in poultry industry as it can cause a rise in the body temperature of chickens. Recently, we reported that sub(L)-citrulline (sub(L)-Cit) is a potential hypothermic agent that could improve thermotolerance in chicks. However, synthetic sub(L)-Cit has not yet been approved for inclusion in animal diets. sub(L)-Cit was first isolated from watermelon. Watermelon rind (WR), an agricultural waste product, contains more sub(L)-Cit than the flesh of the fruit. In the current study, the chemical composition and sub(L)-Cit content of WR dried powder (WRP) were determined. WRP was mixed with water at a ratio of 4:5 (wt/v) to make WRP mash, and then mixed with a commercial starter diet to prepare a 9% WRP mash diet. The WRP mash diet was fed to 3- to 15-day-old chicks and daily food intake, body weight, and changes in rectal temperature were measured. At the end of the experiment, blood was collected from the chicks to analyze plasma sub(L)-Cit and other free amino acids. The chemical analysis of WRP revealed a variety of components including 19.1% crude protein. sub(L)-Cit was the most abundant free amino acid in WRP (3.18 mg/g). Chronic supplementation of the WRP mash diet significantly increased compensatory food intake, plasma sub(L)-Cit, sub(L)-ornithine, and sub(L)-tyrosine in chicks. WRP mash diet did not affect the body temperature of the chicks. In conclusion, WRP mash diet supplementation increased plasma sub(L)-Cit concentration in chicks. The increase in plasma sub(L)-Cit concentrations suggest that WR could be used as a natural source of sub(L)-Cit in chicks to ameliorate the adverse effects of heat stress.
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