N. A. IBRAHIM and E. A. ELZUBEIR.

Institute of Animal Production, University of Khartoum, P. 0. Box 32, Khartoum North, Sudan.

SUMMARY

One hundred and twenty, 8 – week old broiler were selected at random from chicks given increasing levels of sunflower seed meal (SSM) (0, 10, 20 and 30%). They were then slaughtered and the effects of dietary sunflower seed meal on skin colour and carcass chemical composition of broiler chicks was examined. Feeding sunflower seed meal to broiler chicks had no effect on skin colour. Carcass moisture and ash content were reduced. whereas pro- tein and ether extract were not affected.

INTRODUCTION

Egg shell stains are a management problem that has been associated with feeding sunflower seed meal based diets to laying hens (Rose, et. al., 1972). In spite of the increase of incorporation sunflower meal in broiler diets, (Wldroup et. al., 1970; and Daghir et. al., 1980), no attempts have been made to study its effect on broiler skin colour. Skin colour of broiler is a fac- tor that affects consumer acceptance of the commodity. Thus a change in skin colour may probably create a problem for the use of sunflower seed meal in broiler feeding.

Attempts have been made to evaluate the nutritional value of SSM, pro- duced locally for broiler chicks (Ibrahim and Elzubeir, 1990). The present study was initiated to investigate the effects of sunflower on skin colour and carcass chemical composition of broiler chicks.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

At the end of the feeding period (7 weeks) described previously (Ibrahim and Elzubeir, 1990), one hundred and twenty birds (24/ treatment) were se- lected at random and used in the present study. Immediately after being slaughtered skin colour of breast and thigh was measured using Hunterlab Tristimulus colorimeter model D 25 M .2 which was calibrated against Hunter lightness (L), redness (a) and yellowness (b) were recorded. The rest of car- cass was minced and analysed for moisture, protein, ether extract and ash ac- cording to Association of Official Analytical Chemist Methods (A.O.A.C., 1980). .

Composition of the experimental diets is given in table 1. The data were subjected to analysis of variance and L. S. D. (Steelrand Torrie, 1960). ‘

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Hunter L, a and b colour scale components me shown in table 2. Feeding sunflower seed meal based diets had no significant effect on breast and thigh redness (a) and thigh whiteness (L) values. However, breast and thigh yel- lowness (b) values of birds fed sunflower seed meal diets were signifcicantly reduced (p < 0.01) compared to the high fibre control. Also chicks given 10% sunflower seed meal diets had low breast whiteness (L) values (p < 0.05) compared to the high fibre control. These differences could be due to inc1u— sion of Barseem (Medicago sativa) in high fibre control. From Hunter L, a and b colour scale components it can be inferred that feeding sunflower seed meal based diet to broiler chicks caused no change in skin colour. Similarly Omer (1989) reported-that feeding sunflower seed meal as the main source of plant protein compared to sesame, groundnut and cottonseed meal had no ef- fect of broiler skin colour. _

Inclusion of sunflower meal in the diet reduced carcass moisture (p < 0.05) but not all the difference were signinficant (table 3). Carcass protein and ether extract were not affected by the dietary treatment.

REFERENCES

1. O. A. C. (1980). Official methods of analysis, 13th ed. Association of Analytical Chemists Washington, DC.

Daghir, N.J., Raz, M. A. and Uwayjan, M. (1980). Studies on the utilization of full fat sunflower seed 1n broiler rations. Poult. Sci., 59, 2273 – 2278.

Ibrahim, M. A. and Elzubeir, E. A. (1990). Hi h-fibre sunflower seed meal (SSM) in broiler chicks diets. Anim. Fees Sci. Technol. (In press).

Omer, A. O. (1989). comparative value of dietary sunflower, sesame, ground nut and cottonseed meals for broiler chicks. M. Sc. Thesis, University of Khartoum.

Rose, R. J., Coit, R. N. and Sell, J. L. (1972). Sunflower seed meal as a replacement for soybean meal protein in laying hens rations. Poult. Sci., 51, 960 – 967.

Steel, R. G. and Torrie, J. H. (1960). Princ$les and Procedures of statistics. Mc Graw – Hill Book Co. Inc. New ork, Ny.

Waldroup, P.W., Hillard, G. M. and Mitchell, R. J. (1970). Sunflower meal as a protein supplement for broiler diets. Feedstuffs, 42, 41.   

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