Sorghum is used as a source of energy alternative to corn, however, its low pigments content are considered hindrance to the use of this feedstuff for poultry. The inclusion of annatto seed by-product (ASB) may solve this problem. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of ASB inclusion in diets containing sorghum as the main source of energy on performance, carcass traits, meat color, and economic viability in the production of slow-growth broilers. A total of 420 sexed chicks of the Carijó Pesadão line were distributed in a completely randomized design according to a 2 × 7 factorial arrangement, with three replicates of 10 birds per treatment. Studied factors were two sexes (males and females) and seven diets, wherein one had corn as source of energy and the others contained sorghum plus inclusion of 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15% of ASB. Irrespective of the sex, diets did not affect feed intake (g/bird), feed conversion (g/g), yields (%) of carcass, breast and drumstick+thigh, percentage of abdominal fat, or relative weight of the liver. However, the inclusion of ASB influenced the color parameters of the meat making it more pigmented and improved the economic viability parameters. In diets for slow-growth birds containing sorghum as the main source of energy, ASB can be included up to 15%, and meat pigmentation problems can be reduced with total substitution of corn by sorghum with inclusion of ASB from 3%.
Alternative feedstuff; weight gain; natural pigment