Effect of Phytoadditive Methiorep on Carcass and Cooked Meat Quality Attributes in Chicken

Abstract

Restriction to synthetic methionine inclusion in organic poultry feed has raised the challenge to find suitable alternatives. There is a dearth of scientific data on inclusion of alternatives to synthetic amino acids and its impact on carcass and cooked meat quality aspects. With this objective, a study was conducted in 50 unsexed day old broiler chicks to assess effect of polyherbal product on meat quality attributes. The polyherbal product is scientifically well established to mimic activity like that of methionine. Chicks were randomly divided into two groups (G1 & G2). Untreated control (G1) was administered basal diet only and no additional supplementation of methionine while G2 was offered phytoadditive (Methiorep) @1 Kg / tonne of feed (supplied by Ayurvet Ltd. Baddi, India) alongwith basal diet. Carcass quality traits, cooked meat quality attributes and proximate analysis of cooked meat were studied at the end of 6 week experimental trial. Supplementation of polyherbal formulation in basal diet was efficacious in improving overall meat quality attributes such as carcass yield, dressing percentage (%), giblet yield, fillet and tender yield, sensory meat characteristics, organoleptic cooked meat parameters, overall palatability and acceptability of meat. The product doesn’t have any residual or adverse effect on eating & cooking quality of meat and is safe for usage.