Impact of breed on growth performance and sensory meat attributes in Goliath and Sasso chickens

Poultry farming plays a crucial role in meeting global protein demand. The aim of this study was to assess the bioeconomic performance, carcass yields, and meat quality of Goliath chickens (GC), naked neck Sasso (NS), and feathered neck Sasso (FS). The experiment involved 300 chickens, divided into three groups of 100 chickens each, with four replicates of 25 chickens each. The experiment lasted sixteen weeks, during which all groups received ad-libitum feeding with starter, grower, and finisher diets. Results showed that NS (42.03 g/chicken) exhibited higher feed intake compared to GC (38.44 g/chicken). GC displayed greater weight growth (1.68 kg) compared to NS (1.59 kg) and FS (1.49 kg) (p < 0.05). The feed conversion ratio was statistically similar among GC (2.63 g feed/g weight), NS (2.67 g feed/g weight), and FS (2.74 g feed/g weight) (p > 0.05). Carcass yield and breast percentage were greater in Sasso than in Goliath chickens. The meat from the breast (6.06) and thigh (6.11) of GC exhibited higher acidity compared to NS (6.43 - 6.69) and FS (6.33 - 6.64). Sensory evaluation revealed superior overall quality of GC meat compared to NS and FS. Sasso and Goliath chickens raised under identical conditions demonstrated relatively similar growth performance. However, GC produced meat with enhanced sensory quality.