Growth, carcass and sensory traits of broiler chickens fed graded levels of extruded sesame seed meal

The study was conducted to determine the effect of graded level of sesame (Sesame indicum L.) seed meal on growth, carcass and sensory traits of broiler chicken. One hundred and eighty (180) 4weeks old Abhor acre broilers were randomly allotted into respective four (4) dietary treatments [T1 - control diet with 0% inclusion level of extruded sesame seed meal (ESSM) while T2, T3 and T4 had 25%, 50% and  75% inclusion level of ESSM respectively] in a complete randomized design. Each treatment had three (3) replicates with fifteen (15) birds per replicate. At 28-day feeding trial, the birds were slaughtered for carcass analysis and sensory traits (colour, appearance, flavor, texture, taste and overall acceptability). The data on growth, carcass and sensory traits were collected and analyzed using ANOVA and means separated using the Duncan's Multiple Range Test. Result on growth traits showed no significant (P>0.05) difference for final weight, weight gain and feed intake between T1 and T2. The significant  (P<0.05) highest value in weight gain (1.55kg) was observed in T2 while the significant (p<0.05) least value in weight gain was in T4 (1.12kg). There were no significant (p>0.05) differences in  percentages (%) of the carcass traits measured across the  treatments with  reference to the drumstick, neck, back, head, heart, liver and spleen. The dressing weight % was not significantly (p>0.05) different between T1 (71.34%) and T2  (70.59%) but both T1 and T2 were significantly (p<0.05) higher than T3  (66.70%) and T4 (65.90%). The eviscerated weight percent (EW%) and breast weight percent (BW%) had similar trend with no  significant (p>0.05) difference between T1 and T2 [EW%: T1 (94.43), T2 (93.77) and BW%: T1 (20.82), T2 (20.59)] and  significantly (p<0.05) higher values in both T1 and T2 than T4 (EW%: 92.35 and BW%: 17.9). The thigh weight percent (TW%) had no significant (p>0.05) difference between T1 (12.96) and T2 (12.84) but T1 was significantly (p<0.05) higher than T3 (11.96) and T4 (11.63). The broiler chicken meat was assessed for sensory traits after  cooking using a 9-point hedonic scale with reference to colour, texture and overall acceptability there were no significant (p>0.05) preferences observed across the treatments. The taste of the meat had least preference value in T3 (5.55) which was significantly (p<0.05) different from T1 (6.10) and T2 (6.35) but not significantly different from T4 (5.80). Flavour of the chicken meat from the treatments was  significantly (p<0.05) higher in preference in T1 (5.65) than in T2 (5.00), T3 (5.05) and T4 (3.85) but between T2 and T3 no significant (p>0.05) difference in  preference was observed and both T2 and T3 had significantly (p<0.05) higher preference than T4. It can be concluded that extruded sesame seed meal can be better used in partial replacement for full fat soya (protein for protein) at 25%  inclusion in the diet of broilers for better growth response, carcass and sensory meat quality traits of broiler chicken.Key words: Broilers' performance, meat quality traits and sesame seed mea

Effect of graded levels of differently processed Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) seed meal on the performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens

The study was conducted to determine the effect of graded levels of differently processed Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) seed meal on the performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. One hundred and fifty (150), 28-day old birds were randomly allotted to 5 dietary treatments of 3 replicates of thirty birds each. Each replicate had 10 birds. The treatments were: T1 - control diet with 0% inclusion level of Roselle SeedMeal (RSM) while the four other diets had 50% of raw (T2: rRSM), soaked (T3: sRSM), boiled (T4: bRSM) and fermented (T5: fRSM) Roselle SeedMeal in a complete randomized design. At the end of the 28thday of the feeding (week 8), parameters measured were on performance and carcass characteristics. The data collected were analyzed using ANOVA of SAS with the means, where significant, were separated using the Duncan's Multiple Range Test. Final weight (FW) and weight gain (WG) were highest in birds on T5. Birds on T5 had the least feed conversion ratio (FCR) value (2.62). Feed intake and percent mortality did not differ significantly among birds on the different dietary treatments. Birds on T5 had significantly (p < 0.05) higher values for live weight (LW), thigh weight (TW) and neck weight (NW). Percentage eviscerated weight, breast weight, drumstick weight, shank weight, wing weight and back weight did not differ significantly among the birds on the different treatments. The gizzard (G), liver (L) and spleen (S) had the highest values in birds on T3 (G: 2.53%), T1 (L: 2.34%), T5 (S: 0.18) being significantly (p<0.05) different fromT5 (G: 2.04%and L: 1.87%), T2 (S: 0.08%), T3 (S: 0.08%) and T4 (S: 0.09%) respectively. There were no significant (p>0.05) differences observed among the treatments for percentage heart weight. It can be concluded that processing methods enhanced the utilization of Roselle seed meal with the best being the fermentation method as revealed by its feed conversion ratio, live weight and some carcass parameters when Roselle SeedMeal was substituted for 50% of soybean meal in the broiler finisher diets

Effect of graded levels of raw roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) seed meal on performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality traits of broiler chicken

Means of reducing the rising cost of feed resources in livestock production is a concern in thepoultry industry in Nigeria.The study was carried out to investigate the effect of graded levelof roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) seed meal on performance traits, physical and sensoryquality of broiler chicken meat. One hundred and twenty birds at day 28 were used and thirtybirds were randomly allotted into respective four dietary treatments [T1 - control diet with0% inclusion level of raw roselle seed meal (RSM) while T2, T3 and T4 had 25%, 50% and75% inclusion level of RSM respectively] in a complete randomized design. Each treatmenthad three replicates with ten birds per replicate. At the end of the 28-day feeding trial being 8weeks, 24 birds (2-birds/replicate) were slaughtered for physical and sensory meat qualitycharacteristics: colour, appearance, flavor, texture, taste and overall acceptability. Resultshowed there was not significant (P>0.05) difference for final weight, weight gain and feedintake among T1, T2 and T3 but T4 had significant (P<0.05) least values in final weight(1.58kg) weight gain (1.05kg) and feed intake (3.52kg) among the treatments. The FCR wasnot significantly different for T1 (3.32) and T4 (3.36) while both T1 and T4 differedsignificantly from T2 (3.13) and T3 (3.11). There were not significant (p>0.05) differences inthe carcass traits that were measured across the treatments. The cooking loss from the thighmeat in T2 (27.55%) was significantly lower in comparison to treatments T3 (36.60%) andT4 (35.62%) but was not significantly different from T1 (30.48%). The cooking loss frombreast and drumstick meat showed insignificant (P<0.05) difference among the treatments.The texture of the meat had least scored value in T1 (4.93) which was significantly differentfrom T1 (6.33) but not significantly different from T2 (5.13) and T4 (6.07). The overallacceptability of the meat from the treatments was highest in T1 (7.03) with no significantlydifferent from T3 (6.33) and T4 (6.67) but was significantly different from T2 (5.6). It can beconcluded that raw roselle seed meal can be used as a substitute for full fat soybean for use infinisher broiler diets up to 50% inclusion level without adverse effect on the performancetraits and some meat quality attributes of chicken. Keywords: Broilers' performance, meat quality traits and roselle seed meal. &nbsp

Growth performance, blood parameters and carcass characteristics of broilers fed corn bran based diets with or without enzymes (Maxigrain®) supplementation

This study was carried out with one hundred and twenty (120) day-old marshal  chicks to investigate the effect of Maxigrain® enzyme supplementation of corn bran based diets on growth performance, carcass characteristics, haematology and serum biochemistry of broilers in an eight weeks experiment. Four experimental diets were formulated, Diet A served as the Control diet containing no corn-bran. Diet B contained 20% corn-bran without maxigrain enzyme. Diets C and D contained 20% corn-bran with inclusion of 0.01% and 0.02% enzyme respectively. The birds were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments with each treatment being replicated three times in completely randomized design. Data were collected on feed intake and weight gain, while blood samples were collected from the animals through the jugular vein for haematology and serum biochemistry. At 56 days of the experiment, 6 birds were randomly selected per treatment, starved overnight, weighed and sacrificed by cervical dislocation for carcass analysis. Feed intake and cost of feed consumed per bird were significantly (P<0.05) influenced by the dietary treatment. Also enzyme supplementations of corn bran based diets for broilers had no significant effects (P>0.05) on carcass parameters except breast and neck weights. The packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration and white blood cells were within the range of 28.00-35.33%, 9.30 – 11.57 g/dl and 14.04 – 17.50 x103/mm3 in that order. It can be concluded that corn bran can be included in the diets of broiler chicken up to 20% inclusion level without any detrimental effect on their performance, carcass characteristics and blood parameters.Keywords: Performance, carcass, haematology, serum, enzym

Performance and carcass characteristics of broiler fed raw and processed kenaf seed meal

Two hundred and forty (240), unsexed day old Arbor Acre broiler  chicks were used to evaluate the effects of replacing whole kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) seed meal (WKSM) with full fat soybean meal (FFSM) in the diets on the performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chicken in a 2 x 4 factorial arrangement, consisting two processing methods (raw kenaf seed meal RKM and roasted kenaf seed meal HKM) and 4 inclusion levels (0%, 10%, 20% and 30%). Both RKM and HKM were analysed for anti-nutritive factors, data were collected on performance, carcass  characteristics and cost benefit. The results of anti-nutritive factors (ANF) in RKM and HKM revealed that HKM had lower values of 0.045%, 0.029mg/g and 0.013mg/g for tannin, oxalate and phytic acid respectively when compared to 0.078%,0.124mg/g and  0.026mg/g obtained for RKM (P<0.05). The performance of broiler chicken showed that birds on 10% RKM with an average weight gain and FCR of (2640.00g and 2.48) competed favourably with the control (2554.67g and 2.45). The results of carcass characteristics showed that birds on 10% and 20% inclusion levels had  significantly (P<0.05) higher values of 64.25% and 65.58% for dressed weight respectively. In terms of weight gain and FCR, birds fed RKM performed better than birds fed roasted kenaf meal HKM. About 5% feed cost savings was made when WKSM was includedin the diets of broilers. It was concluded that RKM and RKM can replace FFSB in broiler diets up to 10% without any detrimental effect on performance and carcass quality. Keywords: kenaf seed; broiler; performance; carcas