Influence of Flashed-Dried Cassava Pulp on Carcass Traits, Internal Organ Weights, cooking lost and Sensory Evaluation of Exotic Finishing Turkeys

Abstract

Maize constitutes the major energy source in poultry diets, but high cost and competition with human consumption necessitate alternative feedstuffs. Flash-dried cassava pulp (FDCP) is an abundant agro-industrial by-product with potential as a maize replacer, yet data on its utilization in finisher turkeys are limited. This study was conducted to assess carcass traits, internal organ weights, cooking lost and sensory evaluation of exotic finisher turkeys fed graded levels of FDCP as partial replacement for maize. One hundred and twenty day-old British United Turkey (BUT) poults were brooded. Turkeys were transferred from the starter phase to the grower phase, where they had been already randomly allotted to four dietary treatments in a completely randomized design (CRD). FDCP replaced maize at 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%. Each treatment had 30 birds and replicated six times with five birds per replicate. Feed and water were provided ad libitum for 96 days. At 16 weeks of age, one bird per replicate was selected, weighed, and slaughtered by cervical dislocation. Live weight, plucked weight, eviscerated weight, and weights of cut parts were recorded using a sensitive scale. Dressing percentage and relative weights of cuts parts were expressed as percentages of live weights. Varied inclusion levels of FDCP improved carcass characteristics, had no deleterious effect on internal organs weights of turkey finishers and sensory evaluation scores were also improved with FDCP inclusion. Conclusively, FDCP can be included up to 15% in finisher turkey diets as a replacement for maize without compromising physiological status or carcass quality. Therefore, 15% FDCP inclusion is recommended. Further studies are suggested to evaluate inclusion levels beyond 15% and to investigate the effect of other processing methods and enzyme supplementation on FDCP utilization in turkey nutrition.