Effects of pelleting diets containing sunflower meal on the performance of broiler chickens

Abstract

Three isonitrogenous diets containing 0, 10 or 20% sunflower meal (SF) (32.6% crude protein, 18.4% crude fiber) were given ad libitum in two physical forms, mash or pelleted, to broiler chickens from 1 day to 7 weeks of age. Body weight gain (BG) over the 7-week trial was improved ( P < 0.02) by pelleting, irrespective of SF level in the diet. The inclusion of 10 or 20% SF reduced ( P < 0.01) BG. The beneficial effect of pelleting on BG was more pronounced with diets containing SF than with the control. Growth of chicks given the pelleted diet containing 10 or 20% SF was comparable with that of chicks given the pelleted control diet. Consequently, the SF × form of diet interaction effect on BG was significant ( P < 0.01). Improvements in growth were parallel to significant increases ( P < 0.01) in feed consumption (FC) caused by pelleting, irrespective of the level of SF in the diet. The inclusion of SF increased FC only when the diets were pelleted, thereby resulting in a significant ( P < 0.01) SF × form interaction effect on FC. Feed efficiency (FE) (kg of feed consumed per kg of BG) was improved ( P < 0.01) with pelleting, but was impaired ( P < 0.01) by the inclusion of SF in the diet. There was no significant interaction effect of SF × form of diet on FE. Nitrogen-corrected metabolizable energy (MEn) and utilization of nutrients were improved by pelleting, irrespective of the SF level in the diet. MEn consumed per kg of BG decreased with the inclusion of SF in the diet, irrespective of the form of the feed. This improvement was most evident in diets containing 20% SF. The results show that pelleting diets containing SF improved BG, increased FC and improved FE. The improvement in BG and FE could be attributed to increased feed consumption, an increase in MEn concentration of the diet and improved utilization of nutrients.