Evaluation of Muscle Chemical and Amino Acids Composition in Broiler Chicks Fed Sorghum or Sorghum-Pea Diets

ABSTRACT

The study evaluated the chemical and amino acids (AA) composition of breast and thigh muscle in broilers fed sorghum and sorghum-pea diets, as partial substitute of corn and soybean meal (SBM). A total of 540 3-wk-old broilers (Cobb 500) randomly assigned to three groups were fed with corn-SBM control diet (C), corn-sorghum-SBM diet (S) and corn-sorghum-peas-SBM diet (SP) for finisher phase. At slaughter, muscle samples were collected for chemical analyses. The results showed that dietary sorghum or sorghum-pea inclusion did not affect (p>0.05) the chemical composition (dry matter, protein, fat and ash) of broilers muscle tissue. The total AA (TAA), essential AA (EAA) or flavour-related AA (FAA) concentrations from breast or thigh muscle did not differ (p>0.05) between treatments. A significant effect (p<0.05) was found for some individual EAA. The valine and phenylalanine concentrations were higher, and cysteine and methionine levels were lower in both muscles than the C group. The higher deposition (p<0.05) was found for most AA, except glycine and arginine, in the breast vs thigh, as an effect of muscle tissue. As results, the TAA, EAA, NEAA, FAA and EAA/NEAA ratio increased in the breast vs thigh muscle. Interactions between diets and muscle tissue were noticed for serine, threonine, methionine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, lysine, arginine, TAA and EAA. In conclusion, sorghum or sorghum-peas can partially substitute the corn and SBM in broiler diets, with no adverse effects on chemical composition and beneficial nutrients, such as EAA and FAA that are important for the nutritional quality of meat.(AU)