Effects of corn replacement by sorghum in broiler chickens diets on performance, blood chemistry, and meat quality

Abstract

The influence of feeding a new hybrid of sorghum (ES Shamal, orange variety) in broiler chickens on growth, health, meat, and litter quality was evaluated from 1–42 d. A total of 360-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks (40.1 ± 2.3 g) were randomly assigned to 3 experimental diets: 100% corn-based diet (S0), partial replacement of corn with 50% sorghum (S50), total replacement of corn with sorghum (S100). All diets were calculated to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric with similar content of total lysine, total sulphur amino acids, calcium, and available phosphorous. The results indicated that partial or total replacement of corn by sorghum is suitable for broiler chicken diets with no adverse effects on growth, and slaughter performance, as well as litter quality over the whole trial period. Moreover, the substitution of corn with sorghum, reduced (p = .007) abdominal fat associated with an increase in breast and thigh meat colour (L* values; p < .001). Also, a significant (p = .002) decrease in plasma triglyceride was found in broilers fed sorghum-based diets. Except for collagen and hardness in the breast and thigh, and gumminess only in the thigh muscle, there were no differences in fundamental physicochemical (pH, protein, fat, moisture) or textural attributes of meat due to dietary treatment. However, sorghum alters the intestinal microflora, resulting in a lower count of E. coli in the caeca. It can thus, be concluded that sorghum (ES Shamal, orange variety) can be included in broiler feeds from hatching to day 42, without any adverse effects on the broiler’s performance.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Climate changes become a threat to the livestock sector and finding novel nutritional solutions for feeding farm animals became a priority.

• New sorghum varieties are valuable in terms of drought-resistant plants.

• Replacement of corn with sorghum in broiler diets maintains growth performances and carcase characteristics.

Keywords:

• Broiler
• sorghum
• performance
• plasma metabolites
• meat traits

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author upon reasonable arguments.

Additional information

Funding

This study was financially supported by the Romanian Ministry of Research, Innovation, and Digitisation (project no. PN23-20.04.01 and project no. PFE 8/2021).