Effects of Dried Blueberry Pomace and Pineapple Pomace on Growth Performance and Meat Quality of Broiler Chickens

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Pomace, which is produced by fresh fruit after juice pressing, is rich in protein, crude fiber, vitamins, polyphenols, and so on. Making full use of pomace as feed in the breeding industry can reduce the need for many feed ingredients. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of adding 3% blueberry pomace and pineapple pomace to the diet of broiler chickens on their growth performance and the quality of their meat. The results show that adding dried pomace to broiler chickens’ diets did not reduce growth performance or meat quality. This study provides a new approach and a reference for the development and utilization of broiler feed ingredients. ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dried blueberry pomace (BP) and pineapple pomace (PP) on the growth performance and meat quality of broiler chickens. A total of 240 1-day-old Ross 308 broiler chickens were randomly divided into 3 groups, with 10 replicates per treatment group and 8 birds per replicate (4 males and 4 females). The three groups were the control (CON) group, the 3% BP group, and 3% PP group. The entire trial period lasted 42 days. The results show that the average daily feed intake, average daily gain, and feed-to-gain ratio of the BP group and the PP group were not significantly different from those in the CON group (p > 0.05). Adding BP to the diet significantly reduced the proportion of liver and giblets (p < 0.05). Adding PP to the diet significantly reduced the proportion of liver, while the proportion of gizzard significantly increased (p < 0.05). The pH(24h) and L* of breast muscles were significantly lower in the PP group than in the CON group (p < 0.05). The water-holding capacity of the leg muscles in the BP group and the PP group was significantly lower than that in the CON group (p < 0.05). The crude protein content of breast muscle and the ether extract content of leg muscle in the BP group were significantly lower than those in the CON group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the addition of 3% BP and PP to broiler chickens’ diets had no adverse effects on growth performance or meat quality.