EFFECT OF USING FULL-FAT SOY-BEAN IN BROILER DIETS ON PERFORMANCE, CARCASS PARTS, MEAT COMPOSITION, BONE TRAITS AND ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of adding full-fat soy-bean (FFSB) as a replacement of vegetable oil in isonitrogenous broiler diets on growth performance, carcass parts, meat composition, bone traits and economic efficiency. Four levels of FFSB representing 2 and 4 % (T2), 4 and 6 % (T3), 8 and 10 % (T4) and 10 and 12 % (T5) were used to replace soy-bean oil 2 and 4 % (control, T1) during the starting and growing periods, respectively. A total number of 150 one-day-old Hubbard broiler chicks were divided equally into five groups. Each group comprised 30 birds in 3 replicates (10 chicks/ replicate). At the end of the experiment, 3 birds from each treatment were randomly selected and slaughtered for carcass, meat and tibia measurements. The results revealed no significant differences were observed among all five dietary treatments in body weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio and growth rate during the period from 0 to 5 weeks of age. Since, chicks fed (T3)or (T5) diets revealed best significant results in protein and energy conversion ratios during the period of 0 to 3 weeks of age compared with other dietary treatments. Concerning carcass and chemical composition of drum-stick meat, it is worth to note that chicks that fed (T3)or (T5) diets presented highest breast, and lowest thigh percentages compared with those fed other dietary treatments. While, highest crude protein and ash percentages with lowest crude fat percentages drum-stick meat, were recorded for chicks fed (T5) diet compared with other dietary treatments. Regarding tibia traits and composition, it was noted that chicks fed (T5) diet presented lowest figures (tibia length, breaking strength, dry weight, calcium % and phosphorus %) compared with those fed control (T1) diet. Economic evaluation showed that FFSB was economically efficient when included at levels of 8 and 10 % in starter and grower diets, respectively without any adverse effect on growth performance or carcass and tibia traits of broiler chicks until 5 weeks of age.