Effects of dietary supplementation of periwinkle (Pachymelania aurita) flesh on meat quality of broilers fed palm kernel cake based diets

One hundred and eighty broiler birds of the Hyperco strain were used to determine the effects of dietary supplementation of periwinkle flesh in fishmeal and palm kernel cake based diets on meat quality. The birds were randomly allotted to five dietary treatments. The first diet contained 2% fishmeal. In the second diet, in addition to fishmeal, 15% palm kernel cake was introduced. The third diet had palm kernel cake increased to 25% in addition to 2% fishmeal. The fourth diet, contained 1% fishmeal, 25% palm kernel cake and 2.47% periwinkle flesh. In the fifth diet, fishmeal was replaced by 6% periwinkle flesh. Proximate composition, physical and sensory properties of the broiler meat were determined. Physical and chemical properties evaluated included specific gravity, cooking loss, tenderness, flavour, juiciness and overall acceptability. The fat content of the meat from birds on Diets 1, 3 and 5 were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than the fat content of meat from Diets 2 and 4 respectively. The results showed that periwinkle flesh supplementation at 6% produced meat comparable in quality to 2% fish meal.