Effects of Replacing Maize with Graded Levels of Boiled Mango Kernel Meal on the Carcass and Sensory Characteristics of Indigenous Guinea Fowl (Numida meleagris) meat

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Boiled Mango Kernel Meal (BMKM) on the carcass characteristics and sensory qualities of guinea fowl meat. Dietary maize was substituted with four levels of inclusion of BMKM at 0% (T1), 10% (T2), 15% (T3) and 20% (T4). Forty-eight, 16 week old birds; 12 birds per treatment were randomly selected from a total of 120 birds used for the study. The birds were weighed, slaughtered, and viscera separated from the carcass. Carcass was chilled at -1°C for 24hours, and sectioned into the primal wholesale cuts i.e. breast, wings, thighs and drumstick and each weighed. Hot dressing and cold dressing percentages were also taken. Breast and thigh muscles were used for sensory evaluation to assess the sensory attributes i.e. colour, off-odour, juiciness, tenderness, flavour and flavour-liking of the meat. Data obtained were analyzed using the General Linear Model (GLM) of ANOVA component of Minitab. Where significant differences were found, means were separated using Tukey Pair-Wise comparison, at 5% level of significance. The results indicated that the use of BMKM in place of maize in guinea fowl diets had no significant effects on carcass (P>0.05) and sensory characteristics (P>0.05) of the meat. Cost of acquiring 100kg BMKM was GH ¢60.00 ($30.00) whiles 100kg maize was GH ¢150.00 ($75.00). It was concluded that the use of BMKM up to 20 % in guinea fowl diets has no adverse effect on the carcass and sensory characteristics of the meat.