Effects of a meal feeding regimen and the availability of fresh alfalfa on growth performance and meat and bone quality of broiler genotypes.

1. The aim of this study was to identify a feeding regimen that encourages good pasture use in slow (SG) and fast (FG) growing broiler genotypes under free-range management. 2. SG and FG birds fed on either an ad libitum (ADB) or a meal feeding (MEF) programme were given free outdoor access with or without fresh alfalfa from day 22 to 72 and from day 22 to 45, respectively. In two consecutive trials, 800 birds of each genotype were included in a factorial design using groups of 40 birds replicated 5 times. 3. Fresh alfalfa consumption did not improve growth performance and meat quality attributes, whereas the feeding regimen had significant implications. When compared with their ad libitum-fed counterparts, meal-fed birds showed a significantly lower body weight at a considerably lower feed consumption rate, leading to a more favourable feed conversion ratio (FCR) during the course of the experiment. 4. The MEF regimen with a strong feed limitation significantly increased crop and gizzard weight in both genotypes. In FG birds, water holding capacity, drip loss, cooking loss and pH 45 in the breast and thigh meat were adversely affected by MEF; however, feed restriction demonstrated benefits with significant decreases in muscle fat accumulation. In SG birds, decreases in protein and dry matter content of the breast and thigh muscle with meal feeding were conclusive. 5. In both genotypes, there was no treatment-related effect on meat yield, mineral composition of the meat or bone mechanical properties. 6. In conclusion, MEF, irrespective of alfalfa intake, may provide a viable method to decrease FCR; it may be able to contribute to the production of chickens with lean carcasses but it was not capable of improving overall meat quality.