Abstract

Micro minerals (Trace minerals) are required for normal growth and development in broilers. The present study was undertaken to compare the effect of replacing inorganic with organic trace minerals on growth performance, carcass characteristics and chemical composition of broiler thigh meat. A corn soybean based diet supplemented with organic trace minerals (OTM) (x) and an inorganic trace mineral (ITM) (y) was prepared. Four hundred eighty birds were stratified by weight and randomly assigned to 6 dietary treatments with four replicates per treatment (20 birds/replicate pen). The treatments were A) Positive control group diet (x) supplemented for whole period (0-5 wk). B) Fed diet (x) during starter and grower phase (1-4 wk) and diet (y) was offered in finisher phase (5 wk). C) 1^st 3 weeks were fed diet (x) and last two weeks were given diet (y). D) First 2 weeks were fed diet (x) while, diet (Y) offered in the last three weeks. In the treatment (E), diet (x) offered during initial phase and nourished with diet (y) during grower and finisher phase while in treatment (F), complete diet (y). The result showed that organic trace mineral supplementation did not affect growth performance in the first and last week of trail but during 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th weeks organic trace mineral supplementation showed better growth performance than that of inorganic trace mineral supplementation. Chicken fed with organic trace mineral supplemented diets had the better growth performance which differed from that of inorganic supplemented diet groups. Additionally, organic trace minerals supplementation did not affect dressing percentage and giblets weight but shank and keel lengths were improved. While, OTM supplementation did not alter dry matter, ash and moisture content in thigh meat; however, crude protein content was improved in thigh meat. Overall results demonstrated that the quality of broiler chicken meat in high organic trace mineral supplement increased relative to the low supplemented groups. It is concluded that addition of organic trace mineral to feed can improve the growth performance of broiler particularly during growing phase.

Key words: Carcass, dry matter, growth, performance, replacing.