Utilization of fermented palm kernel cake with sclerotium rolfsii in broiler ration

Abstract

Background and Objective: Palm kernel cake (PKC) can potentially be used as feedstuff, especially for poultry. PKC needs to be processed in advance, by fermentation, with Sclerotium rolfsii. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the utilization of palm kernel cake fermented (PKCF) with Sclerotium rolfsii in the diet of broiler. Materials and Methods: Two hundred day-old chicks (DOC) were used in this study. The diet was arranged based on the equal amount of energy and protein, which were 3000 kcal kg-1 and 22%, respectively. The experiment used a completely randomized design (CRD) with 5 treatments and 4 replications. The treatments were arranged as follows: (1) 10% PKCF (control diet), (2) 15% PKCF, (3) 20% PKCF, (4) 25% PKCF and (5) 30% PKCF in broiler diet. The parameters measured were feed consumption, body weight gain, feed conversion, body weight, carcass weight, crude fiber digestibility and nitrogen retention of broiler. Results: Feed consumption, body weight gain, feed conversion, body weight, carcass weight, crude fiber digestibility and nitrogen retention were highly significantly decreased (p<0.01) with any treatment. Conclusion: The palm kernel cake fermented (PKCF) with Sclerotium rolfsii can be used up to 25% in broiler ration.