Effect of Biochar Diet Supplementation on Chicken Broilers Performance, NH(3) and Odor Emissions and Meat Consumer Acceptance

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Poland leads the EU in poultry meat production. Poultry diet supplementation is actively researched to improve the sustainability of the industry and to lower the environmental footprint. We tested a hypothesis if biochar (a carbon-rich material) addition to the diet could address selected environmental goals without compromising production parameters and consumer preferences. The results show that supplementation of chicken broilers diet with biochar contributed to the reduction of ammonia emissions from manure but increased feed conversion ratio. The average body weight and daily weight gain were lower. Meat consumer acceptance was not influenced. In general, the use of biochar as a feed additive could be beneficial to reduce the emissions of ammonia (and potentially odor) from manure, but it worsens some of the key production parameters. ABSTRACT: The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of biochar diet supplementation for broiler chickens on (1) ammonia and odor emissions from manure, (2) feed conversion ratio and daily weight gain, and (3) selected meat quality and sensory parameters. Beechwood biochar (BC, 2 and 4%) and BC–glycerin–aluminosilicates mix (BCM, 3 and 6%) were tested as dietary additives. A total of 750 chicken broilers (Ross 308) were divided into five dietary groups with five replicates per group (n = 5, 30 birds in each replicate) and reared on a littered floor for 5 weeks. Both feed additives showed a significant reduction of ammonia emissions by up to 17%, while the reduction of odor emissions was not statistically significant. The feed conversion ratio increased by 8% for the highest concentration of the mixture. The change of the treated broilers’ average body weight ranged in the last week of the experiment from 0 to −7%, with the most negative effect for the highest dose of the mixture. Sensory analysis of the sous-vide cooked breasts showed no significant differences.