Carcass and Meat Assessment of Broiler Chickens Fed Raw Benne Seeds (Sesamum indicum) Basal Diets with or Without Lysine Supplementation

This study was carried out to assess the effect of raw benne seeds (RBS) (Sesamum indicum) basal diets with or without lysine supplementation on carcass and meat characteristics of broiler chickens in an 8-week feeding trial. Raw benne seeds was incorporated into the diets at 15% and 30% while lysine was incorporated at 0.25% and 0.5% thus 7 diets were formulated as: T0 = Control; (No raw benne seeds and lysine); T1 = 15% RBS + 0% lysine, T2 = 15% RBS + 0.25% lysine; T3 = 15% RBS = 0.5% lysine; T4 = 30% RBS + 0% lysine, T5 = 30% RBS + 0.25 lysine; T6 = 30% RBS + 0.5 lysine. Total of 140 unsexed broiler chicks of Marshall strain were randomly allotted into 7 dietary groups, each group replicated 4 times at 5 birds per replicate. Fasted live, dressed carcass, and primal cuts weights as well as their percentages with exception of the back at T6 all reduced significantly (P<0.05) in carcasses of birds fed 30% RBS than those fed 15% RBS with or without lysine supplementation up to 0.5%. There was significant (p<0.05) increase in cooking loss, thermal shortening and shear force values, while water holding capacity and cooking yield decreased (p<0.05) in meat of birds fed 30% RBS with or without lysine. Sensory characteristics were significantly (p<0.05) higher in meat of birds fed 15% RBS with or without lysine supplementation than birds fed 30% RBS. Overall acceptability was higher (p<0.05) in meat from birds fed 15% RBS with T2 having the highest (p<0.05) acceptability score. The best significant improvements in the carcass and meat was in birds fed 15% RBS supplemented with 0.5% lysine, while meat acceptability was higher in those fed 15% RBS with 0.25 lysine supplementation.