Growth performance, carcass traits and meat quality of yellow-feathered broilers fed graded levels of alfalfa meal with or without wheat.

The effects of 0, 40 and 80 g/kg alfalfa meal on growth performance, carcass traits and meat quality of Chinese yellow-feathered broilers fed diets containing or lacking wheat (0 or 200 g/kg) as part of the energy source, were examined using random design with a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments. Dressing percentage and semi-eviscerated proportion were lower, and meat color a* (redness) value was higher in birds fed diets containing wheat than diets lacking wheat (P < 0.05). Drip loss was reduced by the addition of alfalfa meal to diets containing or lacking wheat (P < 0.05). Average sensory score of breast meat was higher in chickens fed corn-based diets than in those fed wheat (P < 0.05). Meat from those supplemented with 40 g/kg alfalfa meal had better taste than the other two levels (P < 0.05). The inclusion of wheat significantly reduced the activities of creatine kinase and calpain of breast muscle (P < 0.05). In conclusion, Chinese yellow-feathered broilers fed diets containing wheat had better meat color and lower drip loss than those fed the diets without wheat, and adding 40 g/kg alfalfa meal generally improved meat quality and taste.