Carcass Characteristics And Organ Proportions Of Broiler Chickens Fed Different Plant Protein Sources In An Acha Grain-Based Diet

ABSTRACT

 This trial was carried out to evaluate the effect of feeding varying dietary plant protein in an acha-bascd diets to broiler chickens on carcass characteristic and organ proportions. One hundred and twenty (120), 7-day old Anak broiler chickens were used for the experiment in a Complete Randomized Design. Four (4) dietary plant proteins were included in the broilers diet at 30% level with an acha grain as the main energy source. Diet 1 contains 30% groundnut cake, while diets 2,3 and 4 respectively contain 30% of full fat soyabean, soyabean cake and cashewnut meal. The birds were randomly allotted to the 4 treatment groups, with each group having 30 birds which was further subdivided into 3 replicates of 10 birds each. The experiment lasted 49 days (7 weeks). At the end ofthe rearing period carcass evaluation was carried out. One bird per replicate was randomly selected, fasted overnight and slaughtered by severing the jugular vein. The viscerals were removed and weighed. The results showed that birds fed dietary soyabean cake (Diet 3) had the highest liveweight grain (2150.00g), slaughtered weight (1850.00g), defeathered weight (1833.33g), dressed weight (1450.00g), shank (107.00g) and cut parts. The organ proportions also showed significant difference (P<0.05), though followed no definite trend. The organ weights arc as follows: lungs 15.00g, heart 15.00g, liver 43.00g and gizzard 52.33g. In conclusion, birds fed diet 3 gave the best carcass weight, and the organ proportions showed no negative effect as par the diets offered the birds. Thus, inclusion of soyabean meal at 30% level in acha-grain based diets showed great promise and its recommended.