EFFECT OF TURKEY BERRY LEAF MEAL (SOLANUM TORVUM L.) SUPPLEMENT ON MEAT QUALITY, CARCASS AND INTERNAL ORGAN ON BROILER CHICKEN
Authors: Ayedun E. S. , Ajibola A. O. , Omoniyi I. S. 
Published: December 2024

The study was carried out to determine the effect of Solanum torvum leaf meal as feed additive on meat quality, carcass and internal organs of broiler chickens. Ninety six (96) Day-old broiler chicks were used for the study. The birds were fed four (4) experimental diets replicated six times. Treatment 1 was control without the addition of Solanum torvum while treatments 2, 3 and 4 contained respectively the addition of Solanum tortum at 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6% levels. At 6 weeks of age, two birds were randomly selected from each replicate and slaughtered for meat quality, carcass and internal organs’ study. Data were collected on meat quality such as meat cholesterol, lipid peroxidase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities. The results showed that, the level of inclusion of the additive impacted (p<0.05) on the meat quality traits. The lipid peroxidase (LP) was least in treatment 2 at 0.19±0.00mgMDA/kg and highest in treatment 3 at 0.22±0.01mgMDA/kg. The LP contents were similar (p>0.05) among Treatments 1, 3 and 4 and among treatments 1, 2 and 4. However, treatment 3 displayed significant difference (p<0.05) from treatment 2. The values obtained in enzyme catalase in treatments 1 and 4 were similar (p>0.05) and also similar (p>0.05) were the values obtained in treatments 2 and 3. The two groups however differed (p<0.05) with higher values in the latter than in the former. The meat cholesterol differed (p<0.05) among the treatments with the control (4.50±0.02g/dL) showing the least value followed by 4.54±0.01g/dL in treatment 4; 4.62±0.01g/dL in treatment 2, and the highest value at 4.69±0.01g/dL in treatment 3. The Glutathione peroxidase had similar (p>0.05) values across the treatments. The result showed that the slaughtered, carcass and head weights differed (p<0.05) among the treatments. In slaughtered weight, treatments 1, 2, and 4 on one hand and treatments 1, 2 and 3 were similar (p>0.05) on the other hand. The highest value was found in treatment 4 at 2.33±0.13kg and least in treatment 3 at 1.95±0.11kg. In carcass weight treatments 1, 2, and 3on one hand and treatments 2, 3 and 4 were similar on the other hand. The highest value was found in treatment 4 at 1.85±0.11kg and least in treatment 1 at 1.57±0.03kg. However, in head weight, significant differences (p<0.05) were obtained among the treatments with treatment 2 recording the highest value at 78.67±2.40g and treatment 3 the least value at 49.33±3.53g which is similar (p>0.05) to the value of 50.00±4.62g obtained in treatment 4. The weights of heart, lung, spleen, proventriculus and gizzard had similar (p>0.05) values across the treatments. The inclusion of Solanum torvum at 0.6% level in the diet of broiler chickens generally improved the carcass quality and normal functioning of the organs in the birds. Therefore, the 0.6% Solanum torvum can be used without any adverse effect on carcass quality and internal organ of broiler chickens and is capable of reducing deterioration in broiler chicken meat and it is therefore recommended for incorporation in the diets of the birds at any level between 0.2% to 0.6%.