CARCASS TRAITS AND RELATIVE ORGAN WEIGHTS OF BROILER FINISHER CHICKEN FED COMMERCIAL FEED SUPPLEMENTED WITH VARYING LEVELS OF BLACK SEED (Nigella sativa L.) CAKE

Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate the carcass characteristics and relative organ weights ofbroiler finisher chickens fed  commercial feed (vital feed) supplemented with varying levels of black seed (Nigella sativa L.) cake. One hundred unsexed day-old broiler chicks (Arbor Acres strain) were purchased from reputable hatchery and randomly allocated to five dietary treatments of 20 birds per treatment in a completely randomized design experiment and the birds were sub-divided into two replicate each. Five diets were formulated such that diet 1,2,3,4 and 5 were supplemented with black seed cake at 0,1,2,3 and 4g/kg levelsrespectively. At the end of the experiment two  birds were randomly selected,from each replicate, tagged and starved. The birds were slaughtered and data were collected on their carcasses and organs. The result of carcass traits showed that Final live weight, Bled weight, Defeathered weight, Eviscerated weight, Carcass weight and Dressing percentage were not significantly (P>0.05) affected. The relative carcass cuts such as Neck, Wings, Breast, Thigh, Shanks, Fat and back were not significantly (P˃0.05) affect by the dietary treatment except the drumstick which showed significant (P˂0.05) difference. Significant (P˃0.05) difference was not indicated in the relatives organs weight of the birds across the treatments except that of kidney which was significantly (P˂0.05) affected by the dietary treatment. It can be concluded that Black seed cake (BSC) supplementation in diets of broiler chickens at 2g/kg level had no negative effects on the carcass and no deleterious effect was observed on their organs.