Biotechnological Upgrade of High Fibre-low Protein Industrial Plant By-products in Broiler Diets: Carcass and Organs Characteristics

Aims: To explore the possibility of utilizing bio-fermented industrial plant by-products (composite mixture of fermented palm kernel meal, brewers dried grains and molasses) as supplementary crude protein source in broiler production.

Study Design: Two hundred and eighty-eight (288) day old birds were picked and randomized into six treatments in a completely randomize designed experiment.

Place and Duration of Study: Research study was carried out at the Teaching & Research Farm of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti between June and September, 2016.

Methodology: The composite of the palm kernel meal (PKM), brewer dried grains (BDG) and molasses were prepared using a ratio of 50 L of water to 25 kg of PKM, 25 kg of BDG and 2.5 L of molasses. The fermented composite of palm kernel meal, brewer dried grains and molasses (PBMC) was dried before incorporation into experimental diets as protein supplement at 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35% inclusion levels in a completely randomized designed experiment. The control diet had no composite of PKM, BDG and molasses. At the end of the experiment, birds were randomly selected from the 6 treatments, weighed and sacrificed. After slaughtering, the carcasses were scalded at 55-60°C in water bath for 30 sec before de-feathering. The data collected were subjected to One Way Analysis of Variance using Minitab computer model (Version 16). The dressed chicks were eviscerated and some carcass cuts and weights of organs determined.

Results: The live weight of broilers fed the diet 1 (control diet without PBMC) was statistically similar (P>0.05) to those obtained for broiler finisher birds fed 15, 20, 25 and 35% PBMC but significantly different (P<0.05) from broilers fed 30% PBMC, respectively. Similar results were obtained for the dressed and eviscerated weights. There were predominant similarities among the weights of the determined carcass cuts and internal organs.

Conclusion: The use of PBMC can be safely practiced to further improve the utilization of PKM and BDG in poultry diets at a maximum inclusion level of 20%. This inclusion level supported carcass characteristics and standard weights of organs at the end of the finisher phase of broiler production.