Abstract
In two experiments, yellow corn, corn gluten meal, alfalfa, or combinations of these pigment-containing feedstuffs were incorporated into finisher diets and fed from 29 to 56 days to broilers housed in either open or windowless houses. Dominant wavelength (DWL), excitation purity, luminosity of shanks, and blood xanthophyll levels at 56 days were determined. Xanthophyll consumption was also calculated.Xanthophyll consumption and blood xanthophyll levels within treatments were inversely related. Shank pigmentation values indicated that feeding xanthophyll supplements containing zeaxanthin, such as yellow corn or corn gluten meal, provided higher DWL; corn gluten meal produced the most acceptable values. Inferior pigmentation was observed in shanks from broilers reared in windowless houses, but pigmentation was improved when corn gluten meal was fed as the source of xanthophyll. It was concluded that the relative higher ratio of zeaxanthin to lutein present in corn gluten meal was responsible for the pigmentation improvement of broilers reared in windowless houses when this feedstuff was fed.
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