Carcass Characteristics and Microbial Load on the Meat of Broilers Fed Graded Levels of Cashew Nut Shell

Abstract

A total of 120 day-old broiler birds were randomly allotted to five treatments in a completely randomised design. The birds were used to evaluate the carcass characteristics and microbial load of meat from broilers fed graded levels of cashew nut shell (CNS). Each treatment was replicated three times, with eight birds per replicate. Five experimental diets were used: T1 contained 0% CNS, T2 contained antibiotic growth promoters, and T3, T4, and T5 contained CNS at levels replacing 5%, 10%, and 15% of maize in the diets, respectively. Feed and water were provided ad libitum. At the end of the experiment (56 days), three birds were randomly selected from each treatment group for carcass evaluation and microbial-load examination of the ready-to-cook meat. The results indicated no significant (p > 0.05) differences among the treatment groups in the carcass parameters measured, except wing, neck, and gizzard weights. Significant (p < 0.05) differences were observed among treatment groups in the microbial populations of Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus, Staphylococcus, and Enterococcus, whereas no significant difference was observed for Salmonella. The results indicated that CNS could replace up to 15% of maize without deleterious effects on most measured carcass characteristics, although microbial populations varied among treatments.