The Performance and Characteristics of Carcass and Breast Meat of Broiler Chickens Fed Diets Containing Flaxseed Meal

Abstract

The effects of flaxseed meal (FSM) feeding on the performance (weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio), carcass characteristics and pectoral muscles fillets [major (PMJ) and minor (PMN)] quality [shear force, pH and cooking water loss percentage (CWLP)] and colour [redness (a*), lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*)] were evaluated in a factorial design experiment with five graded levels of FSM (0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 g) and sex of broiler chickens from 21 to 39 days (d) of age. The addition of FSM to the diet did not affect the performance and carcass characteristics, but significantly (P<0.05) increased CWLP and reduced pH of the PMJ (80>20=0, and 80<60=40=20=0 g FSM/kg) and PMN (80>40=20=0 g and 80<60=20=0 g FSM/kg), and (P<0.01) increased a* value of the PMJ (80=60>40 g FSM/kg). The male birds had significantly (P<0.01) higher performance, L* value of the PMN and lower a* value of the PMN than females. The breast weight of males fed 20 g FSM/kg was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of females. However, higher dietary levels of FSM/kg increased breast weight of females when compared with those of males. It was concluded that the addition of up to 80 g FSM/kg to the diet during 21 to 39 d did not affect the performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens, and that of 80 g FSM/kg increased CWLP and reduced pH of PMs. Sex of birds influenced the performance and characteristics of PMs.

Performance and meat quality of broiler chicken fed a ration containing flaxseed meal and higher dietary lysine levels

“…However, FM feeding exerted a negative effect on FCR of birds, whereas lysine supplementation tended to reduce this negative effect. Similar results were reported by Lopes et al (2013) and Shafey et al (2014) who fed FM/flaxseed oil to birds. Similarly, Acar et al (1991) and Corzo et al (2002) reported similar observations with respect to lysine supplementation in broiler chicken.…”

“…The feeding of broilers with increasing flaxseed levels has been shown to result in a significant increase of muscle pH as well as redness (a*) values of breast muscle (Shafey et al 2014). The contrasting observations of Betti et al (2009) are that breast and thigh meat colour characteristics and functional properties such as pH of muscles were not significantly affected by feeding different levels of flaxseed (0.10 and 0.17) to broiler birds.…”

Effects of the Dietary Supplementation of Sucupira (Pterodon Emarginatus Vog.) and Copaiba (Copaifera Langsdorffii) Resinoils on Chicken Breast and Thigh Meat Quality and Oxidative Stability

“…Therefore, higher CWL values are expected when meat presents reduced pH values (Northcutt et al, 1994;Shafey et al, 2014). However, this correlation was not detected in breast meat in the present study (Table 3), because, although the dietary addition of SUC oil resin influenced CWL (p<0.05), no meat pH changes were detected.…”

Dietary Supplementation of Barbatimão (Stryphnodendron Adstringens) and Pacari (Lafoensia Pacari) Extracts on the Oxidative Stability and Quality of Chicken Meat

“…In general, the average CWL values observed in this study (10.27-20.70%) were lower than those reported by Almeida et al (2002) and Shafey et al (2014) in normal breast meat (23.0-31.69%). On the other hand, Barbut et al (2005) considered normal meat when CWL average values were close to 11.25%.…”