Effect of cashew meal (Anacardium occidental) on organ yields and organoleptic characteristics of broiler meat in Côte d'Ivoire

The aim of this study is to valorise cashew oilcake in broiler feed. Cashew oilcake is used in the formulation of five (5) feed rations: F0 (with 0% cashew meal and 100% soybean meal); F100 (with 100% cashew meal and 0% soybean meal); F75 (with 75% cashew meal and 25% soybean meal); F50 (with 50% cashew meal and 50% soybean meal); F25 (with 25% cashew meal and 75% soybean meal) for broiler chickens Five (5) batches of 60 chicks (Cobb 500) of 5 days of age and not sexed were fed the 5 diets (F0, F100, F75, F50 and F25) for 6 weeks. Five (5) chickens per batch were slaughtered to determine carcass characteristics, organ weights and organoleptic evaluation. The incorporation of cashew oilcake in the poultry diet significantly (P<0.05) modified the carcass yield of the broilers. Lot F25 showed the best yield with 86.66%, followed by the control lot F0 (84.01%), then lot F50 (78.65%), lot F75 (77.03%) and finally lot F100 (73.43%). In contrast, organ yields (liver, gizzard, heart, lung and intestine) and abdominal fat of the experimental chickens did not differ significantly from the controls. The formulated experimental rations had no depressive effects on organ development with a very low mortality rate (1.67-3.33%). Organoleptically, the colour of the meat of batches F50 and F25 was judged to be white in agreement with the control batch F0, in contrast to batches F75 and F100, which were judged by the panelists to be neither red nor white and red respectively. Secondly, the meat of the chickens fed with the F100, F75 and F25 rations was judged more succulent respectively with a score of 4/5; 3.9/5 and 3.74/5 by the panel compared to the F0 control (3.19/5). In addition, the panel judged the meat from batches F100 and F75 to be less tender with scores of 2.77/5 and 3.35/5 respectively, and those from batches F50 (3.97/5) and F25 (4.48/5) to be more tender compared to the control batch F0 (3.81/5). Overall, the meat from the five (5) lots was judged good by all consumers. However, the meat from the batches of poultry that consumed cashew cake-based rations was much more appreciated by the panelists, especially batch F25. In sum, cashew oil cakes can be used in broiler feed.