EFFECT OF GRADED LEVELS OF DIETARY BIOCHAR ON CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS AND EATING QUALITY OF FINISHER BROILER CHICKENSROILER CHICKENS

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary biochar on carcass characteristics, sensory attributes and proximate composition. A total of 40 broiler chickens were randomly selected from 120 birds fed diets containing 0% (control) (T1), 1.5% (T2), 3% (T3) and 6% (T4) biochar. The birds were slaughtered after 8-hour feed withdrawal, dressed and chilled for 24 hours. The visceral were separated into gizzard, spleen, heart and intestines and were weighed. The cold carcasses were also sectioned into the various carcass joints and weighed. The breast muscles were used for sensory analysis while the thigh muscles were used for laboratory analyses. The results indicated that biochar inclusion up to 1.5% improved (P<0.05) breast muscle, thigh and wing weights. Sensory characteristics of the meat were similar (P>0.05). Proximate components of the meat in terms of dry matter, crude protein, crude fat and ash were not also affected (P>0.05). Inclusion of charcoal up to 1.5% in the diets of broiler chickens improved breast muscle, thigh and wing weights of birds, but up to 6% inclusion did not affect sensory and proximate components of the meat. 

Key words: Carcass, Charcoal, False Yam seed, Broiler chicken, Meat Quality, Chicken Feed