Effects of high rates of inclusion of palm kernel meal in broiler chick diets

Abstract

The effects of palm kernel meal (PKM) on broiler chicks at dietary inclusion rates above 300 g kg −1 were examined. In Experiment 1, a meal with 142 g crude fibre kg −1 from Sierra Leone (PKM1) was included at 0 (control) and 500 g kg −1 diet (5PKM1) on the basis that PKM1 provided 9.74 MJ metabolisable energy (ME) kg −1. In Experiment 2, a meal with 211 g crude fibre kg −1 from Malaysia (PKM2) was included at 0 (control), 300, 400 and 500 g kg −1 (5PKM2) diet on the basis that PKM2 provided 8.35 MJ ME kg −1. The 5PKM1 diet, containing 63 g supplemental maize oil kg −1 depressed the food intake, growth rate and efficiency of food utilisation of chicks, with 5 week food intakes and body weights being 19 and 22% lower, respectively, than in controls. The 5PKM2 diet, containing 114 g supplemental maize oil kg −1, produced a slightly higher food intake than controls, the body weights of chicks being 3.6% lower at 5 weeks, but similar to those of controls at 7 weeks. The results indicate that PKM is a useful ingredient for broiler chick diets, but at high inclusion rates the texture of PKM-based diets may need to be improved by additional fat to facilitate an adequate level of food intake.