EFFECT OF PAWPAW (CARICA PAPAYA) AND FLUTED PUMPKIN (TELFAIRIA OCCIDENTALIS) LEAVES EXTRACTS AS ADDITIVES ON CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS AND ORGANOLEPTIC PROPERTIES OF BROILER CHICKENS

Abstract

Experiment was conducted to study the effect of pawpaw and fluted pumpkin leaves extracts as additives on carcass characteristics and organoleptic properties of broiler chickens. 500g of fresh Pawpaw and fluted Pumpkin leaves were pounded separately in 50cl of water each to obtain a homogeneous extracts of pawpaw leave extract (PLE) and fluted pumpkin leave extract (FPLE) and were administered in their drinking water of broilers across the treatments groups at 48 hours interval as follows: T1:0ml of PLE/ FPLE [commercial vitamins/minerals premix (control)], T2: 80ml PLE in 1 litter of water, T3: 80ml FPLE in 1 litter of water and T4:40ml PLE + 40ml FPLE in1 litter of water. ANOVA result indicated that the leaves extracts affected significantly (P<0.05) the carcass cuts of drumstick, thigh, neck, breast, feet, head and wing across all the treatment groups as this is favorably comparable to the birds in the control group without the extract treatment. Organoleptic properties scores of color, aroma and juiciness scores were significantly different (P<0.05) across the treatment groups but are all statistically similar as compared to the control group. The scores for flavour, tenderness, texture, appearance are not significantly different (P<0.05) across all the treatment groups. The overall acceptability score across the treatment groups as compared to the control groups was not significantly different (P<0.05). This implies that the leaves extracts treatments on the birds do not affect negatively the meat quality as well as the consumption of the
birds.