Nutritive Value of Maize/Sorghum Brewers’ Dried Grains Supplemented With Palm Oil in Broiler Starter Diets

Abstract

A 28-day feeding trial involving 81 one-week-old Anak broilers was carried out in a completely randomized design experiment to investigate the nutritive value of maize/sorghum brewers’ dried grain (MSBDG) supplemented with palm oil in broiler starter diets. The diets were formulated to contain 0% levels of MSBDG without palm oil (T₁) serving as control, T₂ contained 8% MSBDG and 2% palm oil, and T₃ contains 18% MSBDG and 2% palm oil. The treatment feeds were randomly assigned to the three experimental groups of 27 birds, sub-divided into three replicates of 9 birds each. Data were collected on feed intake, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio. Feed intake of the birds on T₁ was significantly (p<0.05) lower than that of T₂ and T₃ birds. Body weight gains of T₁ and T₃ bird were similar (p> 0.05) and better than T₂ birds. Feed conversion ratio of T₁ birds was better than T₂ and T₃, which were similar. It is possible to include MSBDG up to 18% with 2% palm oil in broiler starter diets when there is need to replace maize with an alternative feedstuff, considering the continual rise in the cost of maize and the fact that there are periods when palm oil prices are usually low in the Southeastern part of Nigeria.

Keywords: Broilers, brewers’ dried grain, maize, sorghum, palm oil