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PROXIMATE, MINERAL ANALYSIS AND GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF BROILER CHICKENS FED DIETS CONTAINING PALM OIL MILL EFFLUENT
Abstract
A 56-day feeding trial was conducted to assess the effect of replacement levels of 0, 6, 12, 18, and 24% of energy supplied by maize in a controlled diet with energy from palm oil mill effluent (POME) using 225 marshal strain broiler chickens allotted to the diets having 3 replicates with 15 birds per replicate. The experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Umuahia, Abia State. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance in CRD and Duncan’s New Multiple Range Test to separate significant means using SPSS 200. Water and diets were offered ad-libitum. It was observed that air drying POME for 21 days improved the dry matter (21%), crude protein (10.17%), ether extract (19.20%), crude fibre (8.13%) and ash (6.38%) over the freshly collected POME. The mineral composition of POME was not significant (p>0.05). The growth performance of broiler chickens was significant (p<0.05) in all the parameters evaluated. Inclusion of POME up to 12% in the diets resulted to a comparable daily feed intake with the control diet. However, the average daily feed intake significantly (p<0.05) decreased as inclusion level of POME increased above 12%. Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) was significantly (p<0.05) affected by the treatments. Diet 3 (12% POME) showed the best FCR (2.08) with protein efficiency ratio indicating that it was well utilized by the birds. Feed cost analysis was significant (p<0.05) in all parameters evaluated. Cost per kg weight gain was lower in diet 3 (12% POME). The results show that inclusion level of Palm Oil Mill Effluent at 12% in the diet replacement with maize is recommended for broiler chickens diet, with better performance and lower feed cost.
