Assessment of feeding hydroponic fodder in Gerze (Turkish native) chicken on carcass and meat quality characteristics

BACKGROUND: Recently, hydroponic feed production has come to the fore to reduce the intense competition between food and feed production in the poultry industry, improve product quality, and make environmentally friendly and sustainable production. It is thought that using hydroponic forage resources in the poultry industry positively affects production performance, welfare level, and digestive system microflora. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine the effects of hydroponic green fodder (HGF) supplementation on carcass characteristics and meat quality during the last 1/4 of the growth period in the slow-growing Gerze Turkish native chicken breed. METHODS: Chicks were fed ad libitum with starter feed (until 8 wk), finisher feed (8-14 wk), and from 14 to 18 wk were allocated to either finisher feed alone (control) or finisher feed plus HGF. RESULTS: Abdominal fat weight, dry matter percentage, and protein content were significantly higher in chickens fed the commercial diet (CD) compared with the HGF group (P < 0.05). Conversely, ash content was significantly lower in the PM and GN muscles of CD-fed birds (P < 0.05). The drip loss value on the 2nd storage day and the intramuscular fat ratio of chickens fed with HGF were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in GN muscle. The cooking loss value in GN muscle (except for PM muscle) and freezing loss value in PM muscle (except for GN muscle) of Gerze chickens fed with HGF was significantly lower than those fed with CD (p < 0.05). Hardness and gumminess values in the PM muscle of Gerze chickens fed with CD were higher (p < 0.05) than those fed with HGF. CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation with HGF during the final quarter of the growth period altered several meat-quality parameters but did not significantly change growth performance measures during the finishing period.