.

ABSTRACT: The growth performance and meat quality of three hundred and thirty broiler chickens provided diets containing varying energy and protein contents were examined in this study. Five experimental diets – Control A (12.14 MJ ME/kg; 194g/kg CP); B (10.67 MJ ME/kg; 166g/kg CP); C (10.79 MJ ME/kg; 237g/kg CP); D (14.12 MJ ME/kg; 166g/kg CP) and E (13.72 MJ ME/
kg; 239g/kg CP) were arranged into 11 experimental treatments which comprised feeding single and choice diets. So, treatments were T1 (diet A), T2 (diet B), T3 (diet C), T4 (diet D), T5 (diet E), T6 (diets B and C), T7 (diets B and D), T8 (diets B and E), T9 (diets C and D), T10 (diets C and E) and T11 (diets D and E). Feed intake and weight gain of chickens fed the dietary treatments and moisture content, lipid content and oxidative stability of meat samples from them were assessed. Final live weight and total weight gain were not significantly (P>0.05) influenced by dietary treatments. Total feed intake and feed conversion ratio were significantly (P<0.001) highest for birds on treatments based on low energy diets. Moisture and lipid contents of thigh muscle were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those of drumstick and breast muscles. Oxidative deterioration of meat was significant (P<0.001) among treatments, values for day 6 were generally higher than those of day 1. In conclusion, broiler chickens can select balanced diet from an option of feeds differing in energy and protein levels. The protein content of broiler chicken diets should be given adequate attention when formulating feed for optimal productivity. 

Keywords: Broiler meat, Choice feeding, Finisher diet, Oxidative stability

JoST. 2018. 9(2): 134-140.
Accepted for Publication, July 18, 2018