Growth performance and carcass quality of broilers fed with palm kernel meal-based rations

A feeding trial was carried out to compare the effect of feeding broiler chicken with rations formulated with different types of palm kernel meal. A total of 96 one-day-old chicks (male, COBB) were reared in 2-tier battery cages in the open house system. Birds were assigned to 4 different treatments: T1, corn-soy ration as control, T2, ration formulated with 20% palm kernel expeller (PKE), T3, ration formulated with 20% commercial solvent extracted palm kernel cake (PKC) with about 4% shell and dirt and T4, laboratory produced solvent extracted palm kernel cake (PKC) with less than 3% shell and dirt content. The average weight of the birds, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were calculated for each ration. The feeding trial lasted 42 days and results showed that there were significant differences (p 0.05) among treatment rations in average body weight and feed conversion ratio for the starter and growth periods. Broilers fed with corn-soy-based ration gave the best result compared to PKE and PKC-based rations. Feed cost per kg bird live weight was lowest for T1 compared to other treatments.