Male broiler chicks (135 Indian River chicks (IR) and 135 Cobb chicks; n = 270) were weighed, wing banded, and distributed
randomly into three iso-energetic and iso-nitrogenous diet groups for each breed (triplicate design, 45 bird/group, 15 bird/
replicate). The chicks were fed the diets with levels of 0, 4, or 6% sun-dried tomato pomace (SDTP), respectively, for 42
consecutive days to determine the effect of consuming different levels of SDTP on growth performance, economic efficiency,
meat quality, and gene expression in IR and Cobb broiler chickens. The inclusion of up to 6% SDTP in the diet of IR or Cobb
chickens had no negative impact on growth performance parameters. Chickens from both the IR and Cobb breeds fed a diet
containing 4% or 6% SDTP consumed more feed than those fed a diet containing 0% SDTP. Concomitantly, the groups fed a
6% SDTP diet of IR breed incurred a significantly higher feed cost, total variable cost (TVC), and total cost (TC). The inclusion
of up to 6% SDTP in the feed of both breeds resulted in a non-significant increase in return parameters. The ultimate
pH decreased as the SDTP concentration increased, with no significant differences in water holding capacity (WHC) or drip
loss (48 h). No alteration in the mRNA expression of hepatic growth hormone receptor gene (GHR) or insulin like growth
factor-1 (IGF-1) was found among the treatments for either the IR or Cobb breeds. Thus, up to 6% SDTP can be added to
the diet of IR and Cobb broiler chickens without any adverse effects on the examined parameters. |
