Effect of dietary inclusion of full fat maize germ on carcass characteristics of broilers

Abstract

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of dietary inclusion of full fat maize germ (FFMG) at different levels on the carcass characteristics of broilers. A feeding trial of 42 days consisting of 6 dietary treatments – 0 (control), 5, 10, 15 FFMG, 9 % defatted maize germ (DFMG) and 7 to 10 % of maize germ oil (MGO) was conducted. Eight birds per treatment were slaughtered and serum samples, liver, breast and thigh muscle tissue, abdominal fat pad, intestinal contents and left tibial bone were preserved at –20°C for analyses. Serum total and HDL cholesterol, muscle cholesterol, liver and muscle lipid content were analyzed, and characterization of muscle fat and abdominal fat was done. Cooking loss of breast meat was determined. Intestinal lipase activity and bone ash including Ca and P were estimated. Muscle lipid content, iodine number and saponification number of breast meat fat and abdominal fat, per cent cooking loss of breast meat, serum total and HDL cholesterol, muscle cholesterol, intestinal lipase activity and bone ash content of birds fed different levels of FFMG were comparable with control. The percentage of linoleic acid and total PUFA increased linearly with increasing level of FFMG. Calcium % in birds fed FFMG was significantly higher than the control. The results indicated that the inclusion of FFMG at 5 to 15 % does not have any adverse effect on the carcass characteristics of broilers.