Economics Benefits, Growth Performance, Carcass and Meat Characteristics of Broiler Chicken Fed High Fibre Diet

Aims: The effects of high fibre diet fed to broilers chicken on growth, carcass performance sensory evaluation, primal cuts and meat characteristics were carried out in a eight weeks feeding trials.

Methodology: A total of two hundred and forty, day old broiler chicks of Arbor Acer breed obtained from a commercial hatchery was used for the trial. An average (33±0.12 g body weight) were weighted individually and randomly divided into three (3) Treatment with ten replicate per treatment and eight birds per replicate using a completely randomized design. The diet contained T1= 8.70% fibre; T2= 13.10% with enzyme and T3= 13.10% fibre without enzyme. Parameters measured are daily feed consumption, weekly body weights, weight gain and feed conversion ratio were properly recorded. Carcass performance parameters were measured and recorded for both the external and internal organs, primal cuts, sensory evaluation, cooking loss and yield using a standard procedure. Data were analysed using descriptive statistic and ANOVA at α0.05.

Results: There were no significant difference (P<0.05) for weight gain and feed conversion ratio while Treatment 3 had the highest daily feed consumption and weekly body weights with least daily feed consumption, and weekly body weights in Treatment 1. The result shows that there was no differs in carcass performance, external organs weight as well as internal organs weight. There was no significant difference (P<0.05) observed in the primal cuts and sensory evaluation. The cooking loss was significantly higher (P>0.05) in Treatment 1 (control with 8.7% fibre) 33.36% with least cooking loss in Treatment 3 containing 13.10% (21.54%). Treatment 3 had the highest cooking yield (78.46%) compared to other treatment.

Conclusion: Broiler chicken can be fed with 13.10% fibre diet without enzyme without any adverse effect on the growth, carcass performance, enhances better cooking yield and lower cooking loss.