Carcass yield and internal organs of broiler chickens fed diets treated with organic acids

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of different organic acids (OAs on carcass yield and internal organ characteristics of broiler chickens. The OAs were acetic acid (AA) butyric acid (BA), citric acid (CA) and formic acid (FA). One hundred and fifty (150) day old AborAcre - plus chicks were used. There were five dietary treatments. Diet 1 which served as control (CON) contained no OA, while diets 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively contained 0.25% AA, BA, CA and FA which replaced palm kernel cake in which each treatment was replicated three times with 10 birds per replicate and arranged in completely randomized design (CRD). Diets were both isoenergetic and isonitrogenous. The experiment lasted for 8 weeks. Feed and water were given ad libitum. At the end of the 8 weeks of feeding, 3 birds from each replicate giving a total of 9 birds per treatment were slaughtered for carcass and internal organ evaluation. Result from the carcass evaluation showed that there were no significant differences (P>0.05) in dressed carcass weight, thigh, wing and drumstick. All the OAs except BA produced bigger breast meat compared to the birds fed control diet. The weight of the backcut was significantly (P<0.05) reduced by FA compared to the birds on control diet. Birds that consumed FA treated diet deposited more abdominal fat and AA produced the least (P<0.05). Internal organ result indicated that both the liver and the kidney were not negatively affected by OA treated diets. Caecum and the large intestine were significantly larger in than those obtained from birds fed the control diet. Therefore, addition of the OAs except BA to broiler diets could be a good practice considering their positive effect on the breast meat which is a premium cut part.