Studies On Performance Of Broiler Chickens Fed Oil Palm Slurry

Abstract

A ten-week feeding trial was conducted using 72 Cobb commercial broiler chickens to study the inclusion of oil palm slurry (OPS) in broiler diets. The 1-day-old chickens were randomly allocated in groups of 24 birds to each of the three dietary treatments. The chickens were given conventional feed containing 75 and 150 g kg-1 levels of OPS. The control diet did not contain OPS. Feed and water were supplied ad libitum. Broilers fed on diets with 75 g kg-1 OPS inclusion recorded the highest feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion efficiency and dressing percentage. The abdominal fat content of carcass showed a significant (P<0.05) difference among the treatment means. The control group had the highest proportion of lean meat and therefore recorded the best carcass quality. This was followed by birds fed on diet with 75 g kg-1 OPS inclusion. Birds fed on diet with 150 g kg-1 OPS inclusion recorded the highest abdominal fat content and hence the poorest carcass quality. Therefore, the inclusion of 75 g kg-1 OPS in the diet of broiler chickens from 1-day-old to finishing could minimize the high cost of feeding broilers.

Keywords: Oil palm slurry, broiler chickens, growth performance.

Global Journal or Pure and Applied Sciences Vol. 14 (4) 2008: pp. 375-378