Inclusion Levels of Bitter (Vernonia amygdalina) Leaf Meal on Meat and Sensory Qualities of Broiler Chickens

Abstract

Feed constitutes the greatest cost input in livestock production. Feed costs continue to increase due to high inflation rates which impact negatively on livestock production in developing countries. Researchers continue to work toward reducing cost by sourcing for low-cost, unconventional feed ingredients to boost livestock production. This experiment was designed to evaluate the effects of inclusion levels of  Bitter Leaf Meal (BLM) on meat and sensory characteristics of broiler chickens. Four dietary treatments were formulated thus: Treatment 1/Control (0% BLM), Treatment 2 (5% BLM), Treatment 3 (7.5% BLM), Treatment 4 (10% BLM). Two hundred and forty, 2 week old broiler chicks were obtained and randomly allotted to each treatment in a completely randomised design making 60 birds per treatment with 3 replicates of 20 birds each. Feed and water were given ad libitum for 8 weeks after which four birds from each replicate were randomly selected, fasted overnight and slaughtered. The prime cuts, meat and sensory qualities were evaluated and data obtained were statistically analysed. There was no significant difference between the cooking loss of drumstick of treatment 1(Control) and other treatments fed graded levels of BLM. However cooking loss for breast was significantly higher in treatment 4 (10% BLM) at 24.7, and treatments 1 to 3 recording 21.29, 18.72, and 18.97 respectively. For thigh, cooking loss was significantly lower in treatment 4 at 22.14 while values for other treatments were similar. There was no significant difference among all the treatments for oxidative rancidity and pH. Water Holding Capacity was significantly lower in treatments 3 (7.5%BLM) and 4 (10%) BLM with values of 61.11 and 66.44 2 while treatments 1 and 2 had significantly higher values of 75.00. There were no significant differences among treatments for Colour, Aroma, Tenderness, Texture and Overall Acceptability. Only treatment 4 (10% BLM) had significantly lower value for Juiciness. Flavour was significantly higher in treatments 1 (0% BLM) and 3 (7.5% BLM) with values of 5.6 and 5.7 while the other treatments were similar. Results obtained showed that dietary inclusion of BLM between 5-7.5% generally had no deleterious effects on meat and sensory characteristics of broiler chickens.