Growth performance and carcass analysis of broilers fed with enhanced quality palm kernel meal

Abstract

Background: Palm Kernel Meal (PKM) is one of the most promising and cheap agro-industrial by products which can be incorporated in animal rations to reduce the cost of feed. Objective: The present study investigated growth performance and carcass analysis of broiler chickens fed different levels of enhanced quality PKM. Methodology: A total of 540 one-day-old male Cobb500 chicks underwent a 35 days feeding trial in the Climatic Control House of the Energy and Protein Centre of the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) in Keratong, Pahang, Malaysia. The birds were divided into four treatment groups: corn-soy ration [control, T1: 0% MPOB-quality (Q)-PKM] and corn-soy rations formulated with 10% (T2), 20% (T3) and 30% (T4) MPOB-Q-PKM. Each treatment group was subdivided into nine replicates comprised of 15 birds per replication. The rations were formulated to be isocaloric and isonitrogenous. Results: The T1 and T2 had a significantly higher (p<0.05) average body weight gain and total feed consumption during the starter period (days 1-20) than T3 and T4. However, the feed conversion ratio for T1, T2 and T3 were not significantly different (p>0.05). During the finisher period (days 21-35), the average body weight and total feed consumption for T1 and T2 were significantly higher than that of T3 and T4. The T2 had the best feed conversion ratio, which was significantly lower (p<0.05) than all other treatments except T1. Carcass analysis showed no significant differences (p>0.05) in thigh, drumstick, wing, or abdominal fat percentage among the four treatments. However, T2 showed the highest breast meat yield (23.59% of live weight), with the lowest from T4 (18.74% of live weight). Conclusion: Present results indicate that incorporation of 10% MPOB-Q-PKM in broiler feed produces better growth performance and comparable carcass quality with the control diet.