use of dietary camelina (camelina sativa) seeds during the finishing period; effects on broiler performance and on the organoleptic traits of broiler meat

Abstract

The study quantified the effects of Camelina seeds and buckthorn meal on broiler carcass production and quality. Camelina seeds and buckthorn meal were incorporated in the compound feeds for finishing broilers as natural source of vitamins (beta- carotene, vitamins C, B1, B2, E, F, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and iron). The experiment was conducted on 600 Hybro PN broilers during the age period 7 – 42 days. The broilers were assigned to 3 groups, a control group © and two experimental groups (E1 and E2), each with 200 broilers (3 groups  3 replicates  100 broilers). Three (phase-feeding) compound feeds formulations were used. The control diet consisted mainly of corn, full fat soybean, soybean meal and corn gluten. Camelina seeds (10%) replaced full fat soybean in the experimental groups, while additionally, in E2 the classical premix with synthetic vitamins and minerals was replaced by buckthorn meal. The partial results show that the use of Camelina seeds reduced significantly (P<0.05) the final live weight, but the liveability percentage was not influenced by the type of dietary compound feed throughout the experimental period. Carcass fat decreased by 61.44% and 30.72% in the experimental groups compared to the control group. Total proteins increased in average by 3-10% concomitantly with the increase of the water content, fat decreased in average by 1.5-4%, the energy value also decreased proportionally with the fat in the experimental groups compared to the control group. Water retention capacity increased by 1% in E2.