Effect of palm kernel cake and deoiled palm kernel cake on the performance of cockerels

Abstract

Forty (40), thirteen weeks old cockerels were allocated to five dietary treatments after balancing for weight. The eight birds on each dietary treatment were replicated four times, such that two birds served as a replicate. In diet 1 (control) contain 0% Palm Kernel Cake (KPC) and Deoiled Palm Kernel Cake (DOC). Diet 2 and 3 continued 40% KPC, Diet 2 was presented in mash form while Diet 3 was presented in pellet. Diets 4 and 5 contained 40% DOC, Diet 4 was presented as mash while diet % was presented as pellet. Dietary treatments had no effect (P>0.05) on daily weight gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Significant dietary effects (P>0.05) were however noted for daily feed intake (FI) and weight of spleen. In ecocomic terms Diet one was the most expensive (#30.03/kg) while Diet 4 was the cheapest (#15.85/kg). Birds on Dietary Treatment 1 elicited the highest cost/kg weight 314.13/kk weight gain while it cost #160.50 to gain 1kg of weight by birds on Diet 4. The results obtained in this study indicated that both PKC and DOC can be used to some appreciable extent in the feed of cockerels. The use of PKC and DOC considerably feed costs of cockerels.