Broad beans versus soybeans as feedstuff for dual-purpose chickens

University of Göttingen research team investigates influence on meat quality. Current practices of the poultry industry have raised ethical and ecological concerns: ethical concerns include the culling of day-old male chicks of egg-laying breeds; ecological concerns include the import of large quantities of soybeans for feedstuff. Now a research team at the University of Göttingen has investigated alternatives such as using a regional protein crop like broad beans (also known as faba or fava beans), and dual-purpose chicken breeds (ie suitable for both meat and egg-laying). They found that using broad beans as feed and dual-purpose breeds were both suitable alternatives which did not impact the quality of chicken meat. Their results were published in Foods . As part of the -Potentials of sustainable use of regional breeds and regional protein feed in poultry production- (PorReE) project; this study focuses on adult cockerels of two local dual-purpose chicken breeds (Vorwerkhuhn and Bresse Gauloise) and one high-performing laying line (White Rock) fattened on feed where the main protein sources were soybean meal and two broad bean ( Vicia faba ) diets with different composition. This study focused on the effect of the diet on meat quality characteristics, including sensory analysis, of these particular breeds.