Effect of faba bean (Vicia faba var. minor) inclusion in starter and growing diet on performance, carcass and meat characteristics of organic slow-growing chickens

摘要

This paper assesses the effect of faba bean\ud(Vicia Faba minor), in partial substitution of\udsoybean, on productive performance, carcass\udand meat traits of slow-growing chickens readed\udunder the organic method. Faba bean was\udused in both starter (1-21 d) and growing/finisher\uddiets (22-120 d). One thousand birds\udwere fed two different diets containing respectively,\udsoybean or faba bean as the main protein\udsource for the entire rearing period. The\udbirds of each group were slaughtered at 120 d\udof age. The productive performance of group F\udwas the worst, with a higher mortality rate,\udindicating that faba bean diets are not able to\udcover the nutritional requirements of birds\udmainly in the first rearing period. The main\udcarcass and meat qualitative traits, were not\udaffected by the treatment, whereas minor modification\udregards saturated and monounsaturated\udfatty acids.