Abstract
High feed cost resulting from the use of conventional feed ingredients represents a major challenge in broiler production in South-East Nigeria. Feed constitutes 70% of the cost of production of broiler chickens hence, the replacement of unconventional feed ingredients holds the key to sustainable poultry production. This trial was aimed at determining the optimum inclusion level of palm kernel cake as a partial replacement of soya bean and maize in a broiler finisher diet during a 28-day trial. The PKC was included at 0%, 35%, 40% and 45% of total feed composition and birds were fed ad libitum. A total of one hundred and twenty (120) four week-old broilers were used for the measurements. Birds were allotted to four treatment groups of 10 birds each with three replications in a completely randomized design (CRD). The growth performance and haematological characteristics were evaluated. The results showed significant differences (P<0.05) in the final weight gains, average weight gain and feed conversion ratio but no significant differences was observed in the feed intake. The control diet had the highest average weight gain of 919.20g and 40% PKC inclusion had the least value of 595.47g. At end of the experiment, 6 birds randomly selected from each treatment were fasted overnight and slaughtered for blood samples collection. The results of the haematological parameters indicated significant differences (P<0.05) in the haemoglobin (Hb) concentrations, packed cell volume (PCV), total white blood cell counts (WBC), respectively. Furthermore, the mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell heamoglobin (MCH), mean cell heamoglobin concentration (MCHC) all showed significant variation. However, no significant differences were observed in the red blood cell count (RBC). From this study, it could be concluded that although broiler birds can tolerate high inclusion levels of PKC up to 40%, 35% was the level of inclusion that would result to higher weight gains for optimum productivity.
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