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Nutritional
evaluation of palm kernel meal types: 2. Effects on live
performance and nutrient retention in broiler chicken diets
Emeka Vincent Ezieshi* and Julius Mark
Olomu
Department of Animal Science, University of Benin, PMB 1154,
Benin City, Nigeria.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
ev.ezieshi@yahoo.com.
Tel: +234-803-418-7347.
Accepted 5 March, 2008 |
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Studies were conducted to determine the effect of palm
kernel meal (PKM) types on productive performance and
nutrient retention of broiler chickens. The three PKM types
used in this study were obtained from different sources and
were processed using different methods or different types of
kernel. The results obtained indicated that for the starter
phase, Okomu and Presco PKM diets gave mean body weight gain
values (g/bird) of 924.1 and 922.0 which were similar to
that of control diet (955.1) but superior to that of Envoy
PKM diet (823.4). Feed intake values were 1802.0, 2087.1,
2017.8 and 1924.44 g/bird; feed cost per bird (N) was
in the order of 94.82, 87.28, 84.38 and 77.02 for control
diet, Okomu, Presco and Envoy PKM diets, respectively. For
the finishing phase, Okomu and Presco PKM diets which were
comparable in all the parameters were superior to Envoy PKM
in terms of final body weight and body weight gain. Feed
intake values were 2869.5, 3280.9, 3106.4 and 2674.0 g/bird
for control diet, Okomu, Presco and Envoy PKM diets (Diets
1, 2, 3 and 4), respectively. Feed cost per bird (N)
was 145.93 for Diet 1, compared with 127.45, 119.72 and
99.01 for Okomu, Presco and Envoy PKM diets, respectively.
Percentage nutrient retention was optimal for animal
performance on the PKM based diets. It can be concluded that
mechanically processed PKM can replace 50% of maize in the
diet without any adverse effect on performance of broiler
chickens.
Key words:
Palm kernel meal, productive performance, nutrient
retention, broiler chicken, diets. |
