Efecto de la inclusión de grasa amarilla en el alimento balanceado en pollos broiler sobre la pigmentación de la piel en la granja Santa Inés.

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of including residual yellow fat in broiler chicken feed on skin pigmentation, considering the importance of skin color as a key trait in consumer perception and market acceptance, particularly in regions where yellow skin is associated with higher product quality. The study was conducted at Finca Santa Inés, part of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the Technical University of Machala, using 200 Cobb 500 broiler chickens. The birds were randomly assigned to five experimental treatments, each with four replicates of ten birds, under a completely randomized design. The treatments differed in the percentage of yellow fat included in the diet (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%), replacing the conventional use of palm oil as a lipid source. During a six-week trial period, various performance and quality variables were assessed, including liveweight gain, skin and crowing pigmentation (measured using a standardized colorimetric scale), and mortality rate. The findings showed that the inclusion of yellow fat did not improve skin pigmentation; on the contrary, increasing yellow fat levels led to a progressive reduction in the intensity of yellow skin tones. In contrast, the control group receiving palm oil showed improved pigmentation, confirming the effectiveness of palm oil due to its high content of bioavailable β-carotene and α-carotene. This contrast suggests that while yellow fat may contain some carotenoids, their concentration and bioavailability are not sufficient to produce visible effects on broiler chicken skin coloration. However, the inclusion of yellow fat had a positive impact on growth performance. Treatments with higher inclusion rates showed significant improvements in liveweight gain compared to the control, indicating that yellow fat is an efficient energy source. From an economic perspective, its low cost and consistent availability as a byproduct of the feed industry make it a viable option, especially in systems that prioritize weight gain and profitability over aesthetic characteristics. Furthermore, the use of waste yellow fat contributes to environmental sustainability by reusing a product that would otherwise present a challenge to dispose of.