Performance and carcass characteristics of broiler fed raw and processed kenaf seed meal

Abstract

Two hundred and forty (240), unsexed day old Arbor Acre broiler  chicks were used to evaluate the effects of replacing whole kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) seed meal (WKSM) with full fat soybean meal (FFSM) in the diets on the performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chicken in a 2 x 4 factorial arrangement, consisting two processing methods (raw kenaf seed meal RKM and roasted kenaf seed meal HKM) and 4 inclusion levels (0%, 10%, 20% and 30%). Both RKM and HKM were analysed for anti-nutritive factors, data were collected on performance, carcass  characteristics and cost benefit. The results of anti-nutritive factors (ANF) in RKM and HKM revealed that HKM had lower values of 0.045%, 0.029mg/g and 0.013mg/g for tannin, oxalate and phytic acid respectively when compared to 0.078%,0.124mg/g and  0.026mg/g obtained for RKM (P<0.05). The performance of broiler chicken showed that birds on 10% RKM with an average weight gain and FCR of (2640.00g and 2.48) competed favourably with the control (2554.67g and 2.45). The results of carcass characteristics showed that birds on 10% and 20% inclusion levels had  significantly (P<0.05) higher values of 64.25% and 65.58% for dressed weight respectively. In terms of weight gain and FCR, birds fed RKM performed better than birds fed roasted kenaf meal HKM. About 5% feed cost savings was made when WKSM was included
in the diets of broilers. It was concluded that RKM and RKM can replace FFSB in broiler diets up to 10% without any detrimental effect on performance and carcass quality.

Keywords: kenaf seed; broiler; performance; carcass