High oleic Trusoya soybeans, have the potential to enhance not only broiler growth performance but also carcass fatty acid composition. However, there is a lack of information on feeding high oleic soybeans to broilers. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of extruded high oleic soybeans (Trusoya), conventional commercial soybean meal (SBM) and extruded conventional soybeans on growth performance, carcass characteristics, blood immune and antioxidant status in broiler chickens. A total of 288 one-day-old male broiler chicks (Cobb500; initial body weight [BW] of 37.2 g) were allotted to one of three treatments in 36 pens (8 birds/pen) and fed experimental diets over 3 phases in a randomized complete block design: Phase 1: 0 to 2 weeks, Phase 2: 2 to 4 weeks, and Phase 3: 4 to 6 weeks. The diet nutrient composition met or exceeded the breeder’s recommendation. Experimental diets were: 1) a corn-based diet with conventional SBM (CSBM); 2) a corn-based diet with extruded conventional soybeans (ExSoy); 3) a corn-based diet with extruded high oleic soybeans (ExTrusoya). At the end of each phase, BW and feed consumption were measured to calculate body weight gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR). At the end of the feeding trial (d 42), one bird from each pen was bled for blood profile analysis, and two birds from each pen were euthanized to collect the breast and thigh meats for meat fatty acid analysis. Data were subjected to analysis of variance using the MIXED procedure of SAS (SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC), and the pen was used as the experimental unit. Broilers fed the CSBM diet had greater (P < 0.05) BW and daily weight gain during the overall period compared with ExSoy and ExTrusoya diets fed broilers. Also, ExTrusoya diets showed greater (P < 0.05) final BW and overall daily weight gain than ExSoy diets by 10.6% and 10.7%, respectively. Dietary treatment did not affect the white blood cells, lymphocytes, and blood antioxidant status. However, ExTrusoya diets increased (P < 0.05) the blood basophil concentration compared with the CSBM diet (15.7% vs. 7.6%). Birds fed ExTrusoya diets had greater (P < 0.05) breast weight (g/kg BW) than ExSoy diets by 8.2%, and birds fed ExTrusoya diets had greater (P < 0.05) thigh weight (g/kg BW) than those fed CSBM diets by 9.9%. The oleic acid contents for breast and thigh meat from the birds fed the ExTruosoya diets were higher (P < 0.05) than those of birds fed the CSBM and ExSoy diets by 63% and 53%, respectively.
In conclusion, feeding extruded Trusoya soybeans in broiler diets could improve the immune function by increasing blood basophil concentration and meat fatty acid composition with higher oleic acid and mono-unsaturated fatty acid contents.