Faba beans (Vicia faba var. minor) in broiler chickens feeding

Abstract

The underlying components of broiler chicken diets are cereal grain, mainly maize and wheat, supplemented with protein feed, predominantly soybean meal (SBM). In the European Union, SBM is an imported raw material, nearly all of which is derived from genetically modified (GMO) soybeans. This situation has prompted attempts to eliminate or at least reduce SBM in bird diets by replacing it with other protein feeds, including legume seeds, such as peas, faba beans, and lupine. Raw faba beans or other legume seeds cannot entirely replace SBM in broiler chicken diets. Nevertheless, producers continually explore opportunities to develop new cultivars with lower levels of antinutrients, mainly tannins, and refine their seeds to increase their nutritional value. Given that a change in the feed ration may affect growth performance and modify the bird carcass composition, including meat quality, this study examined the nutritional value of faba beans and their effect on growth performance and carcass composition, as well as the physicochemical and sensory traits of muscles in broiler chickens fed diets containing various percentages of faba beans in different forms.

Keywords

• nutrition
• faba beans
• broiler chickens
• rearing results
• carcass yield
• meat quality