Compatibility of using rapeseed and sunflower seed meals in maize-sorghum-soy based diets for broiler chickens

Abstract

Day-old broiler chicks (180) were distributed into 18 groups of 10 each to find the economic feasibility of using some alternate feed sources. Dietary treatments (6) were formulated which include maize-soya based control diet and 5 sorghum (white) and maize (1: 1ratio) based diets. The maize-sorghum based diets contained either soybean meal or partly replaced with solvent extracted rapeseed meal (RSM) or solvent extracted undecorticated sunflower seed meal (SSM) at 5 and 10% level. Each dietary treatment was offered to 3 groups of 10 birds in each. The body weight gains and feed intake were recorded weekly. At the end of the trial, 8 birds were randomly selected and sacrificed to evaluate carcass traits. Replacement of 50% of maize by sorghum did not affect body weight gain. Inclusion ofRSM or SSM in maize + sorghum (1: 1) resulted in poor growth (P0.05) due to the dietary treatments. Feed utilization efficiency during 04wk of age decreased due to inclusion of RSM or SSM while remained unaltered during 0-7wk of age. The ready-tocook meat yield and gizzard and liver yield did not differ due to dietary treatments, while weight of the giblet was significantly higher (P