189 Trakia Journal of Sciences, Vol. 11, № 2, 2013 Trakia Journal of Sciences, No 2, pp 189-196, 2013 Copyright © 2013 Trakia University Available online at: http://www.uni-sz.bg ISSN 1313-7050 (print) ISSN 1313-3551 (online) Original Contribution EFFECTS OF ALKALI TREATMENT OF SOYABEAN ON CARCASS TRAITS, INTESTINAL MORPHOLOGY AND COOKING YIELD OF BROILERS M. M. Ari 1* , B. A. Ayanwale 2 , D. M. Ogah 1 1 Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Nasarawa State University Keffi, Nigeria 2 Department of Animal Production Technology, School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, Federal University of Technology Minna, Niger State, Nigeria ABSTRACT The effects of different alkali treatment of soyabeans on carcass traits, intestinal morphology and cooking yield of broilers was evaluated using 240 Anak broilers day-old chicks that were allocated into four (4) treatments of three (3) replicates as thus: Soaking in water (H 2 0)- T1, sodium carbonate(Na 2 CO 3 ) –T2, potash (K 2 CO 3 ) –T3 and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) -T4 based groups. Five birds were selected from each group and fasted for 8 h prior to carcass evaluation. Plucked weight percentage did not vary significantly (P>0.05) among processed broilers, but significant (P<0.05) differences were recorded in the eviscerated weights. Neck, breast and primal cut-up parts varied significantly (P<0.05). No significant (P>0.05) differences were observed in the values for head, wing and shank. Intestinal weight and organs like lungs, liver, gizzard, heart, kidney spleen and abdominal fat deposition significantly (P<0.05) varied. Cooking yield was significantly (P<0.05) reduced in 1% NaOH. The best percentages for the fleshy primal cuts parts and the meat/bone ratio were 9.20% of breast in 1% Potash; 5.20% of thighs and 4.93% of drumstick all recorded in 1% Potash group and so also 4.35 ratio of meat to bone was recorded in 1% K 2 CO 3 . Alkaline treatment of soyabeans with 1% K 2 CO 3 is recommended for improved carcass yield in broilers. Key words: Alkaline treatment, Broilers, Carcass traits, cooking yield, and Organ morphology INTRODUCTION Soya bean meal remains the most commonly used source of supplementary protein for poultry on accounts of its consistently high quality product (1, 2). It is however limited in utilization for usage in the feed industry by the presence of antinutritional factors (ANFs). The use of alkali in the removal of anti nutritional factors and the nutritional improvement of feedstuff for poultry and livestock utilization has been reported (3, 4, 5, 6). The application of sodium sesquicarbonate (trona) in improving the nutritive values of soyabeans by removal of polyphenols and destroying the trypsin inhibition factor was _________________________ *Correspondence to: Ari, M. M., 1 Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Nasarawa State University Keffi, Iran,Tel: +234 803 625 3270; E- mail: arimaikano@yahoo.com reported by (3, 7). Sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochloride was also evaluated in the detoxification of a toxic variety of Jatropha curcas (8, 9). The use of sodium bicarbonate solution, distilled water and potassium hydroxide in the removal of trypsin inhibitor activity in oilseeds and soyabeans has also reported by (10, 11, 6). (12, 3) however observed that alkaline treatment of soyabeans is dependent on the concentration levels of the alkaline used, as treatment of soyabeans with strong alkaline resulted in decreased protein quality, loss of amino acids and the formation of amino acids lysinealanine complex, which reduce lysine availability (13). Assessment of feed quality by evaluating the meat yield and composition of broilers was earlier reported (7). Similarly, carcass characteristics and organoleptic qualities of