CARCASS TRAIT, MEAT LIPID PROFILE AND MEAT QUALITY OF BROILER CHICKENS FED DIETS CONTAINING HIGH INCLUSION LEVEL OF HIGH QUALITY CASSAVA (MANIHOT ESCULENTA) PEEL MEAL

The study evaluated the carcass trait and meat quality of finisher broiler chickens fed diets containing high quality cassava peel meal (HQCP) at 50% inclusion level in replacement of maize. A total of 320 broiler chickens (Cobb500) were allocated to 4 dietary treatments on a weight equalization basis. Diet 1 = Control Diet (Corn-soybean meal based diet) containing 4.0 g kg-1 digestible Methionine (MET), 0.96g kg-1 digestible lysine, Diet 2 = A diet containing 50% replacement of maize in Diet 1 with HQCP and containing 4.0 g kg-1 digestible MET, 0.96g kg-1 digestible lysine, Diet 3 = A diet containing 50% replacement of maize in Diet 1 with HQCP and containing 4.4 g kg-1 digestible MET, 1.02 g kg-1 digestible lysine, Diet 4 = A diet containing 50% replacement of maize in Diet 1 with HQCP and containing 4.8 g kg-1 digestible MET, 1.08 g kg-1 digestible lysine. The highest slaughtered, carcass, and small intestinal weight were recorded in birds fed Diet 2 while the birds fed Diet 3 had the least abdominal fat value (p < 0.05). The water holding capacity and cooking loss percentage was highest in the meat of the birds fed Diet 4. The meat color of birds fed Diet 4 recorded the highest value. The very low-density lipoprotein and triglyceride concentration were least in the meat of birds fed Diet 2 (p<0.05). It can be concluded that supplementation of MET/lysine to diets containing HQCP improved the carcass trait and meat quality of the birds.