Carcass Characteristics and Organoleptic Properties of Organically Raised Broiler Chickens

Abstract

The influence of carcass characteristics and organoleptic properties of organically raised broiler chickens were investigated in a twelve-week feeding and management trial. Conventional birds (control) group A and organically raised birds (groups B, C and D from which organic millet, sorghum and wheat have been excluded from their diets respectively). 180 day-old Ross broiler chicks were randomly distributed into (4) experimental diets in a completely randomized design (CRD). Each treatment group was replicated into three with 15 birds per replicate. Organic birds were allowed a three hour foraging daily on experimental quadrants. At the end of 8^th week, meats from 108 chickens (27 birds) from each treatment were slaughtered for assessment of carcass characteristics and organoleptic properties. The results indicated that the different dietary treatments have effect on carcass characteristics and organoleptic properties. Conventional birds shows highest values for live weight, breast, thigh weights and as expected organoleptic properties while organic broilers demonstrated higher values for organ weights. It was concluded that organic broilers seems to be a possible alternative to the conventional methods since the carcass traits and the organoleptics properties of broiler chickens fed organically had been established and feed must not be 100% organic diets with consideration of crude protein and energy requirement of broilers to meet up with the demand of consumer towards organic meat. Therefore, further research is needed to explore the best broiler chickens that will show more response to organic feed in derived savanna environment of Nigeria.

Keywords: Organic farming, primal cut, visceral organs and organoleptic properties, ross broilers.