Calcium and Phosphorus Content Of Exotic, Local and Frozen Chicken

Abstract

The study set out to determine the calcium and phosphorus contents of Light (breast) and Dark (thigh) muscle. In the light muscle, calcium was higher in the local, followed by the frozen then the exotic chicken having an average of 0.05%with a range of 0.05%-0. 06% and an average of 0.7% with a range of 0.06%-0. 09%. The means of the light muscle of the local and frozen chicken were not significantly (p>0.05) different from each other but were significantly higher(p<0.05) than that of the exotic chicken

In the dark muscle, there was no significant (p>0.05) difference between the calcium content of local and frozen chicken but both were significantly (p<0.05) higher than the mean of the exotic. Phosphorus in the light muscle, had an average of 0.5% with a range of 0.45%- 0. 60% while it had an average of 0.53% with a ranger of 0.40%-0. 62% in the dark muscle. There was however no significant (P>0.05) difference between the phosphorus of both the light and the dark muscles of the samples.

There were both within and between breed differences as well as tissue differences in the content of minerals in chicken muscle.

The calcium and phosphorus content of the local chicken places it in a very vintage position to compete favorably with frozen and exotic chicken.

Key words: Calcium, Phosphorus, local, exotic and frozen chicken.

Journal of Agriculture, Forestry and the Social Sciences Vol.2(1) 2004: 58-64