Effect of vitamin E supplementation on the body weight gain, changes of antioxidant status and on the oxidative stability of meat in growing turkey

Abstract

The changes of lipid peroxidation processes and some part of the antioxidant defence system (amount of vitamin E, activity of glutathione peroxidase) were studied during the growing period in turkey tombs measuring the age-dependent changes and the effect of vitamin E supplementation on this system. It was found that the malondialdehyde content of blood plasma showed a maximum value at 10 weeks of age, while it was found at 4 weeks of age in liver. At the same age glutathione peroxidase showed the lowest activity. As an effect of vitamin E supplementation the amount of malondialdehyde decrease while the activity of glutathione-peroxidase did not change substantially. Oxidative stability of meat increased markedly as effect of vitamin E supplementation also increase the value of body weight.