Studies on carcass and meat quality attributes of broiler chickens fed graded levels of detoxified Leucaena Leucocephala Lam De wit basal diet

The effect of feeding graded levels of detoxified Leucaena leucocephala meal (LLM) basal diet on carcass and meat quality attributes of broiler chickens was investigated. Seven isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets were formulated both for starter and finisher phases, designated TI, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6 and T7. The control diet no Leucaena meal (T1) was maize-soybean based diet, while 5% soaked Leucaena meal (T2), 10% soaked Leucaena meal (T3), 5% boiled Leucaena meal (T4),10% bolied Leucaena meal (T5), 5% raw Leucaena meal (T6) and 10% raw Leucaena meal (T7) were incorporated into the diets and were supplemented with 0.3% methionine. 140 day old broiler chicks (Marshall Strain) purchased from Obasanjo Farm (Ota in Nigeria) were used for this study. Completely randomized design (CRD) with statistical model Yij=µ+Ti + random error was employed. At the end of 8 weeks of feeding trial, 56 birds (8 birds from each group) were randomly selected, slaughtered and processed. Carcass cut – up parts were weighed and their percentages calculated, meat quality was measured through physical variables and sensory evaluation using a taste panel and the scores were analysed with a 9-point hedonic scale where 1 = dislike extremely and 9 = like extremely. The results showed that T5 had higher life (1787± 0.59g), eviscerated (943.67±1.00g), thigh (71.98±1.00g) and back (189.92±1.00g) weights as well as carcass (63.43±0.10), thigh (7.55±0.10), back (19.92±0.58) and wing (6.65±0.08) dressing percentages. Meat cooking loss (46.54±1.00) and thermal shortening (63.59±1.00) were higher in meat from T6, but meat from T4 had higher cooking yield (68.08±1.00) and water holding capacity (51.33±1.00). Meat samples from T1 (5.23±1.00), T3 (5.25±1.00), T6 (5.29±0.52) and T7 (5.36±1.00) Shear force values while meat samples from T4 had higher colour (5.90±0.06), flavour (5.73±0.10) and overall acceptability(5.77±1.00) scores, however, T4 and T5 elicited higher tenderness (5.40±1.00), (5.20±1.00) juiciness (5.60±0.11), and texture (5.50±0.11), (5.43±0.11) scores. Feeding broiler chicken with boiled L. leucocephala in meal was recommended since it furnished high carcass and meat attribute of broiler chicken in this study.