Influence of Dietary Sorghum (Sorghum vulgare) and Corn Supplemented with Methionine on Cut-Up Pieces Weights of Broiler Carcass and Quality Properties of Breast and Drumsticks Meat

This research was carried out to determine the effects of sorghum (BS = basal diets containing 30% sorghum), corn (BC = basal diets containing corn) and supplemental methionine (BSM = diet BS plus 0.69% methionine, BCM = diet BC plus 0.69% methionine) in broiler diets on the cold carcass weight and cut-up pieces weight of broilers and some chemical, physical and microbiological properties of breast and drumstick meats. A total 240 male (120) or female (120) broiler chicks (Ross-308) were allocated to four dietary treatments (BS, BSM, BC, and BCM groups) in a completely randomized experimental design. At the end of the trial all chicks were slaughtered, and then were stored at 3°C for 24 h. After standard dissection of carcasses, cut-up pieces are weighed. The breasts and drumstick muscles were analyzed for moisture, pH, ash, fat, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), color (L*, a*, and b*), total psychrotrophic, lactic acid, Micrococcus/Staphylococcus, S. aureus, and Enterobacteriaceae counts. Although cold carcass and cut-up pieces weights were positively affected from supplemental methionine containing corn diet. However, weight were not influenced by supplemental methionine in diet containing sorghum and the other groups. While the highest whole breast weight is determined from broilers fed with corn and 0.69% methionine (BCM), the highest drumstick weight was determined from broilers fed with only sorghum (BS). The weights of cold carcasses and cut-up pieces of male broilers were higher than that of female. Except for redness (a* value), other parameters are affected by treatments. The effects of type of meat (breast and drumstick meats) and gender were also variable. The moisture, pH, TBARS, fat, a*, Micrococcus/Staphylococcus and Enterobacteriaceae count were lower ( p