Abstract: 【Objective】 The purpose of this experiment was to study the effects of guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) on the meat quality and abdominal fat deposition of broilers.【Method】 In this experiment,90 1-day-old Cobb broilers were selected and randomly divided into 3 groups,with 5 replicates and 6 broilers per replicate.The group Ⅰ (control group) was fed with basal diet,groups Ⅱ and Ⅲ were added with 1.2 and 3.6 g/kg GAA in basal diet,respectively.The feeding cycle was 42 days,at the end of experiment (42 days),the breast muscle,leg muscle,liver,abdominal fat and blood samples were collected to measure meat quality,pectoralmyopathies and abdominal fat deposition.【Result】 Compared with group Ⅰ,pH_{45 min} of pectoralis and leg muscle in groups Ⅱ and Ⅲ were extremely significantly or significantly increased (P＜0.01 or P＜0.05),the b^* value of pectoralis,a^* value and water loss rate of leg muscle in group Ⅱ were extremely significantly increased (P＜0.01),L^* value of leg muscle,the incidences of wooden breast and white striping in group Ⅱ were significantly decreased (P＜0.05),and the incidences of wooden breast in group Ⅲ was significantly increased (P＜0.05).The abdominal fat rate and abdominal adipocytes diameter in group Ⅱ was significantly lower than that in groups Ⅰ and Ⅲ (P＜0.05).The level of serum triglyceride (TG) in group Ⅱ was significantly higher than that in groups Ⅰ and Ⅲ (P＜0.05).【Conclusion】 Supplementation of 1.2 g/kg GAA in diet could improve the meat quality of broilers,reduce the occurrence of pectoral wooden breast and white striping in broilers, and significantly reduce abdominal fat deposition.

Key words: guanidinoacetic acid (GAA); broilers; meat quality; wooden breast; white striping; abdominal fat deposition