Effects of dietary N-carbamylglutamate supplementation on growth performance, meat quality, and cecal microbiota in Huoyan geese

Abstract

This study evaluated dietary N-carbamylglutamate (NCG) effects on growth performance, body size indices, meat quality, and intestinal morphology in Huoyan geese, aiming to identify the optimal supplemental dose. Only the control and 0.06% NCG groups underwent 16S rRNA sequencing to explore associations between cecal microbiota and meat quality. A total of 240 one-day-old female geese were randomly assigned to four groups, each with six replicates of 10 birds, and fed a basal diet (control group) vs. basal diets supplemented with 0.06, 0.12, and 0.18% NCG groups, respectively, over a 30-week period. Growth performance, body size measurements, and meat quality traits were assessed, and cecal microbial communities were analyzed via 16S rRNA sequencing. From week 6 onward, the 0.06% NCG group exhibited the highest body weight through week 30, with superior average daily gain during the critical 4–8 week growth phase while maintaining normal average daily feed intake. From week 6 through week 30, the 0.06% NCG group had the highest body weight, with superior ADG during weeks 4–8 and while maintaining normal ADFI. Compared with controls, 0.06% NCG significantly increased body oblique length, shank length, and shank circumference ( p  < 0.05), and decreased the feed-to-gain ratio during 1–10 weeks ( p  < 0.05). 0.06%NCG groups also showed significantly increased breast muscle redness ( a *) and 24 h postmortem pH ( p  < 0.05), along with decreased shear force in both breast and leg muscles ( p  < 0.05). Jejunal villus height and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio were significantly elevated ( p  < 0.05). 16S rRNA sequencing revealed higher Chao1 and Shannon indices ( p  < 0.05) and altered community structure in the 0.06% group, notably, short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria, particularly Ruminococcaceae and Faecalibacterium, were enriched in the 0.06% NCG group. Correlation analysis further revealed that these genera were positively correlated with breast muscle redness ( a* ) and 24 h pH. Dietary 0.06% NCG improved growth performance, body development, and meat quality in Huoyan geese. The beneficial phenotypes may be linked to altered cecal microbiota enriched in SCFA-producing taxa.