Poultry industry is second largest enterprise of Pakistan owing to be a major source of food in terms of meat and egg and shares an enough contribution towards national GDP, livestock growth and mass employment. Indigenous poultry breeds also have been playing important role in fulfilling the protein requirements of people. Aseel is one of the famous breed of Pakistan and distributed throughout the country in its different varieties. Selenium enriched food items are gaining public interest due to health benefits and longer shelf life. Production of such enriched food items is requiring latest knowledge about supplementation of micro minerals in the diet of birds. For this purpose, a study was conducted with basic objective to determine the effect of different selenium sources on meat quality and composition in four varieties and Aseel chicken. Two hundred day old Aseel chickens cockerels were procured from Avian Research and Training Center. After three weeks of brooding and adaptation period, 120 Aseel cockerels were then randomly selected and separated into four groups (40 birds/group/variety), every group was further subdivided into three treatment sub groups (A, B, and C) with 10 birds in each treatment and were assigned three dietary treatments. Aseel cockerels were housed individually in cages system. Group A and B were experimental groups while group C was control. The Aseel chickens were slaughtered at 20 weeks of age and meat of breast and thighs were used for proximate analysis (CP, DM, Ash, Fat) and minerals (micro and macro) determination. Values obtained were used to analyze through two-way ANOVA technique using SAS 9.1 software. Means were compared with DMR test. Result of this study showed that DM% of breast was higher (P≤0.05) in Mushki × SS and of thigh meat higher (P≤0.05) in Peshawari × SS. Similarly, CP of breast meat was higher (P≤0.05) in Lakha × SS and of thigh meat Lakha SY
SUMMARY
54
group and fat of breast was higher in Lakha × SY group and of thigh meat was higher (P≤0.05) in Mianwali × SS group. Varieties differed in macro-minerals i.e., sodium, potassium, phosphorus and calcium shown by Lakha variety in breast meat while magnesium was higher in breast meat of Mianwali. In thigh meat, sodium, potassium, calcium contents were prominent (P≤0.05) in Lakha while magnesium was higher in Mushki variety. However, phosphorus was non-significant in thigh meat. In micro-minerals, selenium contents in breast and thigh meat of Aseel chicken were higher (P≤0.05) in Lakha variety while for copper contents, breast of Lakha and thigh of Mushki variety had higher values (P≤0.05). Zn, ferrous and Mn contents were non-significant in breast meat while in thigh meat, Mn among was higher in Lakha variety. In breast meat, pH, Lightness, Chroma, Hue, Redness and Yellowness were higher in Peshawari, Mushki, organic × lakha, Organic× Mushki, Inorganic × lakha and organic × Mushki groups respectively while, in thigh meat, Mianwali, Mushki ×inorganic selenium, Lakha × inorganic selenium, Peshawari × Organic selenium, Peshawari × inorganic selenium and Lakha × organic selenium had highest values. From above results, we concluded that inorganic selenium is more beneficial in indigenous Aseel chicken as it improve the DM and CP contents while organic selenium is more helpful due to more fat contents in meat of chicken breast and thigh parts. While, Aseel Lakha chicken is strongly recommended for micro and macro mineral enriched meat production.
CONCLUSION
Based upon the finding of the present study it can be concluded that:
 Organic selenium helps in improving breast fat and thigh protein in Aseel rooster.
 Selenium don’t have any detrimental effect on minerals contents, pH and color of meat of Aseel rooster.
55
 Organic selenium better retained in breast and thigh meat than inorganic selenium.
 Meat of Lakha Aseel is more nutritive than others varieties fed organic selenium.
SUGGESTION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Based upon the result of the present study it is recommended that:
 This study would be helpful for poultry meat processing industry because Se not only improve meat quality but also shelf life.
 Organic selenium should be added in the diet of chicken to improve the nutritive value of meat.
 Lakha and Mushki Aseel should be reared for beneficial effect of meat nutrient on human health.
 Selenium yeast enrichment in the Aseel feeds can be very helpful increase in body weight which ultimately increase the profitability.