EFFECT OF DIETARY AMINOGUANIDINE ON TISSUE PENTOSIDINE AND REPRODUCTIVE-PERFORMANCE IN BROILER BREEDER HENS

Factors influencing the age-related decline in production parameters o f broiler breeder hens are poorly understood. Elevated blood glucose c oncentrations measured in broiler breeder hens may contribute to this decline. The nonenzymatic attachment of glucose to proteins generates glycoxidation crosslinks in tissue proteins, which ran ultimately impa ir their function. One such glycoxidation crosslink, pentosidine, has been used as a biomarker for aging studies because of its accumulation on the structural protein collagen. The objectives of these studies w ere to determine whether pentosidine accumulates with age in hens and whether the crosslinking inhibitor, aminoguanidine (AG), could retard this accumulation. An additional objective was to determine whether AG had any effect on production performance. Ln the first study, broiler breeder hens (n = 318) were randomly assigned to two groups: control and supplemented (400 ppm AG). Pentosidine was measured in the skin of the birds at 20 and 67 wk of age. Egg production was measured daily, In a second study, broiler breeder hens (n = 60) were reared as previo usly described. Pentosidine was measured in the skin of the birds at 2 0 and 68 wk of age. Results showed that pentosidine was present in the skin of the hens, and that concentrations increased with age (P < 0.0 01). Although pentosidine was reduced (P < 0.001) in AG-supplemented b irds, production performance:was not affected. In conclusion, AG retar ded the rate of accumulation of pentosidine during lay in broiler bree der hens, but the reduction in pentosidine did not significantly affec t production performance.