CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF BROILER CHICKENS FED DIETS CONTAINING ENZYME-TREATED AND UNTREATED FEATHERMEAL

Abstract

A single phase feeding trial was conducted using 1,050 Ross 308 broiler chickens to determine the effects of enzyme-treated feathermeal (TFM) and untreated feathermeal (UTFM) on the carcass characteristics of the broilers. Seven diets were formulated in which TFM was included at 8%, 16%, 24% for T2, T3 and T4 while T5, T6, T7 had UTFM inclusion levels of 8%, 16%, 24%. T1 served as the control with 0% inclusion. The broilers were fed this diet in a completely randomized design and each treatment was replicated six times with 25 birds per replicate. The experiment lasted for 8 weeks. At the end of the 8th week, 28 birds were randomly selected (four from each treatment) for carcass evaluation. Results of the carcass characteristics showed significant differences (P<0.05) in live weight (1923-2131g), dressing percentage (58.45-68.57), slaughter weight (1879-2101g) and defeathered weight (1730-.1961). T6 had the best values for all these parameters measured compared to the UTFM groups and the control. Results of the Primal cuts showed significant differences (P<0.05) in head (3.24-91), neck (4.66-6.79), thigh (15.65-17.98), wing(8.28-10.17), breast(24.85-33.11), back(17.28-19.24) and drumstick (11.08-16.47). Although there were variations in proximal values of across treatment group, T6 and T7 had the best breast meat and back meat values. This study therefore suggests that feathermeal treated with keratinase enzyme could be included in diets of broilers up to 24% for improved carcass characteristics and proximal parts of broilers birds.