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Poultry nutrition
How does poultry feed influence carcass quality?
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1 Reply
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Nutrition can definitively have an impact on carcass composition. Excess energy or an imbalance between metabolizable energy and digestible amino acids can increase the percent of carcass fat and hence worsen FCR during the growth phase. Triglycerides in monogastric species (e.g., poultry and swine) do not transform dietary fat. They will deposit in the carcass the same composition of fatty acids found in the diet. For example, using fish oil can confer a “fishy” taste to carcass and eggs. Similarly, rancid or oxidized oils in the diet will be deposited as such causing lipofusion and have profound negative metabolic effect. Supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids in feed will results in higher omega-3 content in eggs and carcass. Feeding higher levels of vitamin E in feed can increase the amount of vitamin E in carcass, which is associated with lower fat oxidation in meat leading to higher shelf life of products. Supplementation with magnesium has been associated with increased water holding capacity. High levels of fiber in the diet results in bigger guts and hence reduced carcass yield percentage. In summary, nutrition and ingredient quality can have a profound effect of carcass and meat quality.
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