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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Quality and Safety Assessment Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #393489
Research Project: Assessment of Quality Attributes of Poultry Products, Grain, Seed, Nuts, and Feed

Location: Quality and Safety Assessment Research Unit

Title: Effects of almond hulls on growth performance, carcass yield, and breast fillet meat quality in broilers raised in floor pens

Author
item WANG, J - University Of Georgia
item SINGH, A - University Of Georgia
item CHOI, J - University Of Georgia
item Bowker, Brian
item Zhuang, Hong
item KIM, W - University Of Georgia

Submitted to: Poultry Science Association Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/26/2022
Publication Date: 7/11/2022
Citation: Wang, J., Singh, A.K., Chol, J., Bowker, B.C., Zhuang, H., Kim, W.K. 2022. Effects of almond hulls on growth performance, carcass yield, and breast fillet meat quality in broilers raised in floor pens [abstract]. Poultry Science Association Meeting. Paper No. 243.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of graded almond hulls inclusion on growth performance, carcass yield, and breast fillet meat quality of broilers. A total of 640 one-day-old Cobb500 male chicks were randomly placed to four experimental treatments with eight replicates of 20 birds each. Four treatments consisted of a corn-soybean meal control diet and three almond hull treatments containing 2.5, 5, and 7.5% of almond hulls with 97.5, 95, and 92.5 of control diet, respectively. At d14, 28, and 42, feed intake (FI) and body weight (BW) were recorded. At d43, four birds from each pen within 10% of average bodyweight were selected for carcass yield and meat quality. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA model for a completely randomized design using the GLM procedure of SAS 9.4. Significant level was set at P < 0.05. During d 0-14 period, broilers fed a diet contained almond hulls at 2.5% showed a higher (P = 0.025) body weight gain compared to the control group. Supplementation of almond hulls quadratically increased (P = 0.01) broiler body weight gain and feed intake during d0-14 period with the peak dosage at 2.5%. Similarly, during the whole 42d grow-out period, supplementation of almond hulls quadratically (P = 0.013) increased broiler body weight gain. Meanwhile, graded almond hulls inclusion in broiler diet linearly (P < 0.01) increased the feed conversion ratio (FCR) during d 0-14, d 0-28 and d 0-42 period. In addition, broilers fed 2.5% of almond hull had the highest hot carcass, chilled carcass, wings and whole legs weight among all the treatments. All the treatments showed a similar white striping and woody breast scores. Supplementation of almond hulls at 5 and 7.5% showed a higher (P < 0.01) lightness value on breast fillet compared to the control group, whereas increasing the almond hull level in the diet linearly decreased (P < 0.01) pH and lightness values of breast fillet. However, there is no difference in lightness and pH of breast fillet between control and 2.5% supplementation of almond hulls. In conclusion, almond hull inclusion at 2.5% showed a positive effect on growth performance and carcass yield with a comparable breast fillet quality compared to a corn soybean meal control diet.