Comparative Effects of in Ovo and Post-Hatch Taurine Administration on White Striping Myopathy in Broiler Chickens

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the effects of taurine supplementation administered in ovo and via drinking water on growth performance, carcass traits, oxidative stress status, and white striping (WS) incidence in broiler chickens. A total of 720 fertilized eggs were randomly allocated to three groups: Control (no treatment), Sham (sterile distilled water injection), and in ovo taurine (IOT; 1.30 mg/egg). After hatching, chicks were assigned to four experimental groups: Control, Sham, IOT, and taurine via drinking water (DWT), administered daily as a freshly prepared stock solution (250mg/10mL). Growth performance was monitored over 42 days. The IOT group exhibited reduced feed intake and body weight gain during the later growth stages. Carcass analysis revealed significantly lower breast and thigh weights in the IOT group (p<0.001), whereas liver weight was highest in the DWT group. No significant differences in WS scores or breast pH were observed among treatments (p>0.05). Histological evaluation showed that IOT significantly reduced the severity of lipidosis, particularly toward the end of the experimental period (p<0.001). Regarding oxidative stress, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were elevated in the Control and DWT groups, while reduced glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were significantly higher in the IOT and Sham groups (p<0.001). The lowest expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and the highest levels of fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (FNDC5/irisin) were observed in the IOT group (p<0.001). Although in ovo taurine supplementation did not improve growth performance or carcass yield, it enhanced antioxidant capacity and muscle metabolism.