Antioxidant status and quality of poultry and animal meat under stress and its correction with the use of various adaptogens (review)

Modern animal breeds and poultry crosses do not fully realize their genetic potential for productivity due to the impact of various stresses (V.I. Fisinin et al., 2015). Recently, there has been a marked public concern about the negative impact of intensive rearing on animal health, food safety and quality. Animal health and welfare are prerequisites for both productive performance and obtaining products that are safe for human (K. Proudfoot et al., 2015). Oxidative stress caused by an imbalance between production and accumulation of oxygen reactive species (ROS) and the ability of a biological system to detoxify these reactive products under feed, climatic, technological, and biological stresses negatively affects health, growth rates and product quality. Due to the high level of polyunsaturated fatty acids and non-heme iron Fe3+ and Fe2+, chicken meat is most susceptible to lipid peroxidation compared to beef and pork (I.F. Gorlov et al., 2016). The present review paper summarizes the current state of knowledge on the influence of stress factors, including housing conditions (climatic, stocking density), transportation, feeding, veterinary measures on the antioxidant status, meat oxidative properties and quality on the example of chickens and broilers. Climatic and other conditions determine behavioral, physiological and immune responses of birds, affect their antioxidant, biochemical status and productivity. Meat quality deteriorates, as can be seen from changes in pH, muscle protein structure, increased lipid oxidation and the appearance of meat defects (K. Rosenvold et al., 2003; M. Petracci et al., 2015; P.F. Surai et al., 2019). The negative impact on meat quality depends on the type of stresses (chronic or acute), the animal genotype, and the type of muscle fibers (N.A. Mir et al., 2017; P.A. Gonzalez-Rivas et al., 2020; M. Zhang et al., 2020). Transport stress is the result of the simultaneous action of several stress factors (L. Zhang et al., 2014). The intensity of the impact on the body and the change in biochemical markers of stress depends on the conditions of transportation, feeding and keeping, individual characteristics and health status of the bird. Data on the impact of stress on metabolism in animals and birds are rather contradictory. The use of synthetic or natural antioxidants in animal husbandry is currently being discussed due to their ability to influence oxidative stress and meat quality (A. Gouda et al., 2020). This review also provides an analysis of ways to improve the antioxidant protection and meat quality using natural adaptogens (vitamins E and C, taxifolin and quercetin) as feed additives (M. Mazur-Kuśnirek et al., 2019; V.R. Pirgozliev et al., 2020). The study of biomarkers of antioxidant protection is essential for obtaining high quality meat. The use of antioxidants enhances antioxidant protection, increases animal resistance, and improves product quality. This method of preventing the negative effects of stress in animal husbandry and poultry farming is considered the most acceptable and cheapest, especially when natural adaptogens are combined in the diet, which can be more effective than the action of each adaptogen separately.