Influence of palm kernel cake on the growth performance, gut health and hematochemical indices of slow-growing broilers

Abstract

Four hundred and fifty (450) 3-week-old male and female broiler chicks were randomly allocated to a control diet and four dietary treatments with six replicates in a completely randomized design (CRD) with 15 birds per replicate arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial design to evaluate the effect of palm kernel cake (PKC) diet and multi-blend enzymes on the performance of Sasso broilers. The five dietary treatments were T0 = (control, standard diet), T1 = PKC1*0% (10% PKC with no enzyme), T2 = PKC1*0.05% (10% PKC with enzyme), T3 = PKC2*0% (20% PKC with no enzyme) and T4 = PKC2*0.05% (20% PKC with enzyme). The interactive effect of PKC and enzyme showed improved (p < 0.05) FCR in T1 and T2. Higher counts (p < 0.05) of Lactobacillus spp. were found in PKC2 than in PKC1 and lower Clostridium perfringens counts in T3 compared to T2 at 8 weeks. At week 12, the PKC-enzyme effect resulted in higher (p < 0.05) platelets in the T2 and T4 groups than in the other treatments. The incorporation of 10% PKC with enzyme into the diets of Sasso broilers could maintain bacteria balance in their gut and enhance growth performance.