Use of Dacryodes edulis Seed Meal (DESM) as a Replacement for Maize in Broiler Diets: Effects on Carcass Attributes, Organ Weights and Organoleptic Quality

Abstract

In an investigation to determine the effects of utilizing seeds of the African Pear (Dacryodes edulis G. Don, H.J. Lam) as a replacement for maize in the diets of broiler chickens on the carcass and organ weights and on the organoleptic properties of the birds, two hundred and twenty-five (225) day-old Anak broilers were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments with 45 birds per treatment in which DESM replaced maize at 0% (control), 15%, 30%, 45% and 60% levels at the starter (0-28 days) and finisher (29-56 days) phases of production. The birds in each treatment were further divided into three replicates of fifteen (15) birds each and provided the feed and water ad libitum. The carcass and organ weights and organoleptic quality indices did not differ significantly (p>0.05) with variations in the level of DESM in the diets. Breast weight generally tended to decrease as the proportion of DESM in the diet was increased. Broilers which received 60% DESM for maize diets had the highest head, drumstick, thigh and neck weights (expressed as percentages of EW) while the control treatment produced the lowest drumstick, thigh and wing weights (as percentages of EW). Besides the heart, the proportions of the liver, pancreas and spleen were generally numerically higher at 45% and 60% levels of maize substitution with DESM than the control values. Meat tenderness, juiciness, flavour and overall acceptability were unaffected (p>0.05) by the level of inclusion of Dacryodes edulis Seed Meal (DESM) in the broiler diets. The coefficients of linear correlation between the meat quality variables were non-significant except for that between juiciness and flavour. It was concluded that DESM, when used to replace up to 60% of the maize in broiler diets does not adversely alter the ability of broilers to synthesize muscle and organ tissue.