The effect of protease on productive and slaughter traits in broiler chickens

Abstract

Carcass conformation is a very important parameter in assessing the overall appearance and meatiness of broilers. This study evaluates the effect of protease supplemented to reduced protein diets on production traits, dressed carcass weight and conformation measures in fast-growing Cobb 500 and slow-growing Master Gris broilers over a fattening period of 49 days. At slaughter, the following measurements were taken: pre-slaughter body weight (BW), conventionally dressed carcass weight and abdominal fat weight. Following carcass dissection into primal cuts, absolute conformation values, including metatarsus length (ML), keel length (KL), breast depth (BD), breast angle (BA) and thigh girth (TG), were determined. For carcass conformation evaluation purposes, index values of carcass conformation measures BW/ML, BW/KL, BW/BD and BW/TG were identified. Genotype and sex had a significant effect on dressed carcass weight and all conformation measures, whereas the effect of different protein levels in protease-supplemented diets was significant only in Master Gris, for metatarsus length and the following indices: BW/ML, BW/KL and BW/TG.