RESUMO
Non-conventional feeds help alleviate competition faced by the poultry industry as the prices of conventional poultry feed ingredients, are continually increasing. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of palm kernel cake (PKC) on the performance of Sasso X44 broiler chicks. Four hundred and fifty (450) unsexed 21-day-old broiler chicks of homogenous weight were randomly allocated to five dietary treatments in a completely randomized design with six replicates having 15 birds per replicate. Diets comprised the control, PKC0 (basal broiler diet), PKC10 (10% PKC diet), PKC10 + E (10% PKC diet+ 0.05% enzyme), PKC20 (20% PKC diet) and PKC20 + E (20% PKC diet + 0.05% enzyme). Data were collected on feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and carcase parameters. Results revealed that birds in the PKC10 + E group obtained improved (p < 0.05) FCR compared to the control group at the grower phase. At the finisher phase, the PKC20 + E group consumed more feed (p < 0.05), which was significantly different from the other groups except for the PKC10 + E group. Average daily body weight gain was highest for birds fed PKC10 + E diet, which, was significantly different (p < 0.05) from birds fed PKC20 diet. The percent dressed weight was significantly superior [p < 0.05) for birds fed PKC10 + E and PKC10 relative to PKC20. Sasso broilers could therefore benefit from a diet partially replaced with 10% palm kernel cake incorporated with multi-blend enzyme.
RESUMO
1. As the use of antibiotics as growth promoters has been banned in many regions, there has been an on-going search for possible alternative compounds, such as prebiotics and organic acids. 2. This study was conducted to investigate the influence of liquid whey (LW) and organic acid (ACIDAL® ML) supplementation on performance, eggs characteristics, gut pH and health status in laying hens. 3. Seven hundred and fifty, Isa Brown chicks were randomly assigned to five treatments groups (n = 150) and each treatment had five replicates of 30 birds each. The birds were reared for 48 weeks. The treatments were administered in the drinking water at doses of: 250 ml/l of LW (Lacto25), 500 ml/l of LW (Lacto50) or 1 ml/l of ACIDAL® ML (Aci). A positive control group (T+) was treated with 500 mg/l of Tetracolivit (an antibiotic). The negative control group (T-) did not receive any treatment in the drinking water. 4. Administration of LW or ACIDAL® ML in the drinking water reduced (P < 0.05) the pH in the crop, proventriculus, ileum and caeca, as well as total coliform bacteria and E. coli, but increased Lactobacillus spp. in the ileum and caecum, compared to the negative control. 5. Oviposition was earlier in the birds in both the Lacto50 and Aci groups. The weight of birds at first lay and point of lay in the four treated groups was higher than those in negative control group. Furthermore, egg production was increased by 10.44% in birds receiving Lacto25, but the weight and quality traits were unaffected, while the egg shell ratio was higher in the Aci group compared to the other treatments. 6. The data indicated that addition of LW or ACIDAL® ML improved hens' performance by modifying gut pH and microflora.
