Carcass Yield and Internal Organs Weight of Finishing Broiler Chickens Fed Ash-treated African Locust Bean (Parkia biglobosa) Hull-Based Diets

Introduction: Carcass yield and meat cuts are traits of meat quality that determine consumers’ preferences. The present study investigated the effects of feeding ash-treated African locust bean hull meal partially replacing palm kernel meal on broiler chicken carcass and gut organs. Materials and methods: One hundred and twenty Arbor Acre broiler chickens were randomly distributed on an equal weight basis into three groups of 40 broilers each, and each group was replicated four times with 10 chickens per replicate in a completely randomized design. Each group was assigned to three experimental diets in which Ash-treated African locust bean pulp replaced palm kernel cake at 0 % (T1, Control), 25% (T2), and 50% (T3). At the end of the feeding trial, which lasted for 42 days, a chicken each was randomly selected per replicate per treatment group (twelve in total), and final live weight, final feed intake, and feed conversion ratio were measured before slaughtering. Results: Carcass primal cuts (back, drumstick, breast, thigh, and wings) and gut weights (crop, gizzard, heart, liver, proventriculus and small intestine) of the broiler chickens were not significantly influenced by the experimental diets except dressed percent, carcass weight and live weight which were statistically higher in control (T1) and T2 diets while, chickens on T3 diets recorded least value. Conclusion: In conclusion, ash-treated African locust bean hull meal can replace palm kernel cake meal up to 25% in broiler chicken diets without a detrimental effect on carcass characteristics.