Substitution value of squilla meal for fish meal in broiler production: Effects on growth performance, carcass and organ proportions

Abstract

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the substitution effects of squilla meal for fish meal in broiler diets. One hundred and twenty unsexed day-old broiler chickens of AborAcre strains were randomly allocated to five dietary treatments in a completely randomized design. Each dietary group had 24 birds, replicated thrice, with eight birds per replicate. The birds were managed in a deep litter pen, fed and watered adlibitum for a period of seven weeks. Diet 1 was designated as the control, while diets 2, 3, 4 and 5 had their fish meal substituted at 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%, respectively. The mean body weight changes and feed intake were significantly (P<0.05) influenced, while the feed-to-gain ration was not. Birds fedDiet 1(control) gave the best total weight gain value (1804.55g), which was closely followed by birds fed Diet 4 (1776.77g), Diet 3 (1765.85g) and Diet 5 (1616.09g). Birds fed Diet 2 gave the least value of 1565.59g. All the carcass parameters evaluated showed no significant (P>0.05) difference, but kidney, abdominal fat and proventriculus were significantly (P<0.05) different but followed no definite pattern traceable to the diets. In conclusion, Squilla meal has shown to have positive comparative effects on the mean weight gain, carcass and organ proportions of broilers fed these diets. So, it is recommended at 75% level of substitution.