Influence of Various Levels of Organic Zinc on the Live Performance, Meat Quality Attributes, and Sensory Properties of Broiler Chickens

The influence of supplementing diets with various levels of organic zinc (OZ) on the performance, meat quality attributes, and sensory properties of broiler chickens was investigated. A total of 3,200 1-d-old female broiler chicks were randomly allotted to 16 floor pens (replicates) with 200 birds per pen. A corn-wheat-soybean meal basal diet (control) was formulated and 20 ppm OZ (20 OZ), 40 ppm OZ (40 OZ), or 80 ppm OZ (80 OZ) was added to the basal diet to form four dietary treatments with four replicates per treatment. Live performance of broiler chickens, meat quality, and sensory properties were evaluated. The results showed no significant difference among the treatments for live performance of broiler chickens. Significant increases (p < 0.05) in thigh skin epidermis and dermis thickness were shown in the OZ supplementation groups; however, no effect of OZ. on the thickness of back skin epidermis or dermis was found. Dietary OZ levels did not affect the pH of breast and thigh meat or the water holding capacity (WHC) of thigh meat, but the WHC of breast meat increased significantly (p < 0.05) when birds were fed 40 OZ and 80 OZ. Results of a sensory analysis showed no differences among the dietary treatments. In conclusion, dietary OZ did not affect live performance or sensory properties of broiler chickens but did increase the WHC of breast meat and thickness of skin layers; thus, improving carcass quality in broiler chickens.