The Effects Different Inclusion Levels of <i>Gliricidia sepium </i>on Sasso Chickens’ Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality

The study was conducted to assess carcass yield and meat quality of Sasso chickens using Gliricidia sepium leaf meal (GLM) as a replacement for Soybean meal (SBM). Two hundred (200) day-old Sasso chicks were brooded for 21 days and then randomly allocated to five treatment groups using a completely randomized design, with each treatment replicated three times. The experiments diets included the standard control diet with 0% GLM (T0) containing 100% soybean meal, and four experimental where soybean meal was progressively replaced with Gliricidia leaf meal (GLM) at 25% (T1), 50% (T2), 75% (T3), and 100% (T4). All diets were subjected to proximate analysis. Results showed that slaughter weight differed significantly (P<0.05). The T1 with 25% inclusion of GLM achieved the highest and slaughter weight 2038.2 g, respectively. In addition, the 25% inclusion had the highest DP (70.0%) and breast weight (398.3 g). High Dry Matter (DM) was observed in chickens fed T1 (26.8% of GLM) and the trend decreased as the level of GLM inclusion increased in the diet. The CP levels were highest in 25% GLM inclusion 26.2%. The highest EE, was observed in 75% GLM (1.4%). Furthermore; the results indicated that meat color differed significantly in terms of yellowness (p<0.05). Breast and drumstick had the highest yellowness values and were observed in 100% GLM (13.9) and 75% GLM (12.1), respectively. The highest cooking loss was observed in 100% GLM (33.1%). Low meat pH was exhibited in treatment with 50% GLM (pH=5.9). The study concluded that, replacing a portion of SBM with GLM up to 75% did not alter the carcass yield, most of the meat chemical composition and overall meat quality.