| Summary: | The usage of fermented soybean meal (FSBM) in poultry feed is limited due to the high cost. The present study was conducted to examine the carcass traits and meat quality of broiler chickens that were fed diets with partial replacement of soybean meal (SBM) with FSBM. The 336 one-day-old chicks were assigned to four groups with 0% (control), 2.5%, 5.0%, and 7.5% FSBM addition in corn-SBM-based diets. Compared with the control, 2.5% and 5.0% FSBM decreased leg muscle yield, breast drip loss, and cooking loss (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The 7.5% FSBM increased the ultimate pH of breast and thigh muscles, and all FSBM treatments decreased muscle lightness and breast malondialdehyde content (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The 2.5% FSBM increased breast total superoxide dismutase activity, while 7.5% FSBM reduced breast hydrogen peroxide level (<i>p</i> < 0.05). All FSBM treatments elevated breast contents of bitter and sour tasting amino acids, and 2.5% and 7.5% FSBM increased breast glutamic acid and total free amino acids (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The 5.0% and 7.5% FSBM elevated thigh isoleucine and leucine contents (<i>p</i> < 0.05). In conclusion, FSBM replacing SBM affected meat quality with the decrease of lightness and increase of pH, water-holding capacity, antioxidant properties, and free amino acids.
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