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Feeding Value of Palm Kernel Meal in Broiler and Layer Diets
Thesis Abstract:
This study was conducted to evaluate the feeding value of palm kernel meal (PKM) in broiler and layer diets. Two experiments were simultaneously performed using 240 broilers in Experiment 1 and 48 SCWL pullets in Experiment 2. The broilers in Experiment I and pullets in Experiment 2 were randomly assigned to four treatment groups and fed with their respective d iets containing 0, 5, 10, and 15 percent PKM.
The PKM used in this study had the following analysis: 93.90 percent dry matter (OM), 17.00 percent crude protein (CP), 13.45 percent crude fiber (CF), 11.57 percent ether extract (EE), 5.74 percent ash, 49.97 percent nitrogen free extract (NFE), 0.71 percent calcium, 0.30 percent phosphorous, 4,502 kcal/kg gross energy, I ,960 kcal/kg apparent metabolizable energy (AME), 2,749 kcal/kg true metabolizable energy (TME), and 39.91 percent OM digestibility.
The CF and EE of the broiler (starter and finisher) and layer diets consistently increased with increased levels ofPKM. The digestibilities of EE and CF of the broiler starter diets showed significant cubic trend as the PKM in the diet was increased, while a linear decrease was observed in NFE digestibility. The CF digestibility of the broiler finisher diets showed significant linear decrease with increasing levels of PKM in the diets.
Results of Experiment I showed that body weight gain, feed consumption, feed efficiency, and dressing percentage were not significantly affected by the levels of PKM in the diets.
Inclusion of 15 percent PKM in the layer diet significantly decreased feed consumption, percent hen-day egg production, and egg ball thickness. On the other hand, egg weight was depressed with the inclusion of 15 percent PKM during the first four weeks. Egg yolk color score tended to increase when PKM in the diet was increased. The unit price of the broiler (starter and finisher) and layer diets increased slightly as the PKM in the diet was increased.