EFFECT OF FRESH VERSUS OXIDIZED SOYBEAN OIL ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, ORGANS WEIGHTS AND MEAT QUALITY OF BROILER CHICKS

Over a period of six weeks, 90 day-old broiler chicks were randomly allotted into two experimental groups comprising forty five chicks on each treatment. Two experimental rations containing 2% fresh soybean oil (3 mEqO2/kg and acid value 2.52 mg/g of oil) and 2% oxidized soybean oil (50 mEqO2/kg and acid value 7.26 mg/g of oil) were formulated for both starter (0-4 week) and finisher (5-6 week) phases. At the end of feeding trial, six chicks per treatment were slaughtered and meat and liver tissues were ground and stored at 4C for thiobarbituric acid numbers. Weight gain and feed conversion ratio were significantly improved in chicks fed on diet containing fresh soybean oil (FSO) compared to the chicks fed diet containing oxidized soybean oil (OSO). Feed intake was non-significantly different between the two groups. Dressing percentage and organs weights of birds were found to be non-significant for both treatments. However, liver weight increased (P<0.05) in OSO group compared to FSO group. Higher (P