Comparative utilization of rubber seed oil and palm oil by broilers in a humid tropical environment

Abstract

Day-old White Ross broiler chicks were fed isonitrogenous diets in an experiment conducted to ascertain the effects of incorporating graded levels of rubber seed oil (RBSO) and palm oil (PO) into the diets of broilers. The 2 × 3 factorial experiment lasted for 10 weeks. The factors were two sources of oil (RBSO and PO) and three levels of inclusion (3.0, 6.0 and 9.0 g kg −1 of diet). The broilers on PO diets consumed significantly ( P < 0.05) more feed and had greater body weight gain than those fed RBSO diets. Treatments had no significant effects on feed efficiency ratio or the haematological parameters considered. None of the organs except the gizzard were significantly influenced by the sources or levels of the oil used. It was also found that broilers metabolized the fat without visible adverse effects on the liver, kidney, spleen, gizzard or heart weight. The gross carcass measurements were not significantly affected by the oil type and level, and the energy and nitrogen retention values were also unaffected. These observations suggest that the optimal level of inclusion of RBSO in the diets of broiler chicks is not more than 3.0 g kg −1, beyond which significant growth depression sets in, and that the inclusion of PO in broiler diets results in superior performance of broilers than the inclusion of RBSO.