Meat quality and biochemical composition of Hybrid Ayam Kampung (Gallus gallus domesticus) fed with rubber seed meal

Soybean meal (SBM) is an imported protein source used as feed for poultry. The increasing import value of soybean meal put pressures to poultry feed producers to look for other natural sources as potential substitutes for this source. Rubber seed meal (RSM) is a potential product from rubber trees grown in most Southeast Asian countries, including Malaysia. This study investigates effect of different levels of rubber seed meal supplemented as replacement of soybean on meat quality, breast, and liver chemical composition of Hybrid Ayam Kampung. Birds were randomly assigned into 12 groups with 3 replicates were available for each of the 3 treatments (T1, T2, and T3) and control groups. The control groups were fed a basal diet without RSM, and other groups were fed the diets that consisted of 3 RSM levels at initial values of 10% RSM (T1), 20% RSM (T2), and 30% RSM (T3). There were significant differences (p<0.05) in contents of breast meat chemical composition including crude protein (CP) at 19.90 - 23.08%, and ash (0.88 -1.08%) among all groups with the exception of crude fat and moisture. Also, there were significant differences (p<0.05) in all contents of liver chemical composition. Meat quality parameter assays showed that pH, and colour (45 mins & 24 h), cooking loss, water holding capacity (WHC), and shear force were used as indicators. Results showed no significant difference (p>0.05) with the exception of the pH(24h), and (b*)(45mins). Higher pH(24h) was observed (p<0.05) in T2 compared with T1, and control. However, As for RSM treated group, there was a significant difference (p< 0.05) in (b*)(45mins) compare with that of the T2 (6.95 +/- 0.57), with the lowest (b*)(45mins) found in control (4.97 +/- 0.57). Conclusively, RSM could be used as a replacement up to 10 - 20% without detrimental effects on meat quality and nutritional composition.