NUTRIENT DIGESTIBILITY AND ECONOMY OF FEED CONVERSION OF BROILER CHICKENS FED DIETS CONTAINING DIFFERENT TYPES OF OILS AS A REPLACEMENT FOR MAIZE AT STARTER PHASE

Résumé

The aim of the experiment which lasted for 4 weeks was to evaluate the Nutrient Digestibility and Economy of feed conversion of Broiler chickens fed diet containing different types of oil as a replacement for maize. A total of 180 day old Ross chicks were randomly allocated into5 dietary treatments which were T1 (0% inclusion level of oil), T2 (4% inclusion level of palm oil), T3 (4% inclusion level of palm kernel oil), T4 (4% inclusion level of a branded commercial vegetable oil) and T5 (4% inclusion level of sheabutter oil) each comprising 3 replicates with 38 birds per replicate. The apparent nutrient digestibility at the starter phase shows no significant differences (p>0.05) in dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) among the dietary treatments. However, significant differences (P<0.05) were recorded in crude fiber (CF), Ether Extract, Ash, Nitrogen and total digestible nutrients (TDN) among all the treatments. The Economy of feed conversion efficiency at the starter phase shows no significant differences (P>0.05) among the dietary treatment in total feed intake (TFI), final weight gain (FWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). However, significant differences were recorded in feed cost (FC)/Kg, total cost of feed intake (TCFI) and FC/ weight gain (WTG) among the dietary treatments.. It is therefore concluded that inclusion of palm oil in the broiler chicken diet at up to 4% level has no detrimental effect on the broiler chickens and total digestible nutrients at the starter phase. It was therefore recommended that farmers and animal nutritionist should adopt the inclusion of palm oil at up to 4% in the diet of broiler chicken for efficient nutrient digestion