Effects of Dietary Metabolizable Energy and Lysine on Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality in Arbor Acres Broilers

M Y Tang,Q G Ma,C Ji,X D Chen

doi:10.5713/ajas.2007.1865

Abstract

An experiment was performed to evaluate the effects of dietary metabolizable energy (ME) and lysine on carcass characteristics and meat quality in Arbor Acres (AA) broilers from 1 to 56 days of age. A total of 2,970 1-d-old male broiler chicks were randomly allocated to nine dietary treatments (three ME levels in combination with three lysine levels), and dietary ME and lysine concentrations were formulated by varying corn, soybean meal, tallow, and L-lysine sulfate concentrations. Live body weight (BW), carcass weight (CW), dressing percent, breast muscle weight (BMW), yield of breast muscle, muscle color (CIE L*, a*, and b*), pH values 45 min and 24 h postmortem (pH 45 , and pH 24 ), meat shear force value (SFV), and water loss rate (WLR) were evaluated. Results showed that live body weight and dressing percent increased (p<0.05) as dietary energy increased. Higher dietary lysine content improved breast muscle weight. Neither carcass weight nor yield of breast muscle was affected by dietary energy or lysine content. Higher ME increased the b* value (p = 0.067) and pH 24 value (p<0.05), whereas it decreased SFV (p<0.05) and WLR (p = 0.06). Only water loss rate was influenced (p<0.01) by dietary lysine, which was higher in broilers from the high lysine diet as compared to those from medium or low lysine diets. The pH 45 value and L* value of breast muscle were not affected by ME or lysine. Significant interaction of dietary ME and lysine was found on a* value of breast muscle. These results indicated that dietary ME and lysine had important effects on breast muscle growth and meat quality, however their effects were different. Different concentrations of dietary ME and lysine might be considered to improve meat quality.

Highlights

Poultry selection, aiming to reduce breeding costs by improving production of poultry, has progressed continually since the early 1970s and resulted in a very large increase in growth rate of chickens
Broilers fed medium and high lysine diets had higher (p
Carcass weight and breast muscle yield were not affected by dietary energy or lysine

Summary

Introduction

Poultry selection, aiming to reduce breeding costs by improving production of poultry, has progressed continually since the early 1970s and resulted in a very large increase in growth rate of chickens. The growth, structure or overall metabolism of muscle are modified by such selection, probably resulting in modifications affecting technological and sensory characteristics of meat (Santoso, 2002; Rémignon and Bihan-Duval, 2003). Poultry quality, which is defined by a combination of multiple factors, has become a primary focus for producers, packers, processors, retailers and consumers. Muscle color and texture are always the two most important factors that influence meat quality.

Methods

Results

Conclusion