PAPER TITLE :NUTRIENT DIGESTIBILITY AND ECONOMICS OF PRODUCTION OF LOCAL TURKEYS FED DIETS IN WHICH PALM KERNEL M

JOURNAL Of SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY | VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 2012

Paper Details

  • Author(s) : UGWUENE M.C.
  • Abstract:

An experiment was conducted to evaluate nutrient digestibility and the economics of producing local turkeys fed diets in which palm kernel meal replaced maize. Six experimental diets were formulated using palm kernel meal to replace maize at 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100%. One hundred and eighty turkey poults used in the study were allotted to the six treatment diets replicated trice giving rise to 30 turkeys per treatment and 10 turkeys per replicate in a completely randomized experimental design. The turkeys were raised on deep litter with feed and water supplied ad libitum. Appropriate vaccination and medication were administered to the turkeys. The percentage digestibility of turkeys fed diet 1 (% replacement) for dry matter, crude protein, crude fibre, ether extract and nitrogen free extracts were significantly higher (P<0.05) than that of turkeys fed diets 2 to 6 respectively. The percentage digestibility of the nutrients significantly decreased (P<0.05) with increase in level of replacement of palm kernel meal for maize. Crude protein digestibility of diets 1 to 6 were 78.39, 76.23, 73.19, 70.00, 66.91 and 64.45 respectively whereas that of crude fibre of diets 1 to 6 were 50.90, 42.78, 36.18, 31.38, 24.14 and 18.32%. The cost of diet 1 (N0.08/g) was not significantly different (P>0.05) from that of diet 2 (N0.072/g) but was significantly higher (P<0.05) than that of diets 3(N0.063/g), 4(N0.055/g), 5(N0.047/g) and 6(N0.039/g). There was no significant difference (P>0.05) between the revenue for turkeys fed diet 3(N4008.88/bird) and diets 4 (N4401.58/bird) but the revenue for turkeys fed diet 4 was significantly greater (P<0.05) than that of diets 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 (3499.17, 3758.42, 3516.17 and N3506.25/bird). The gross marginal profit of turkeys fed diet 4 (N3079.89/bird) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than that of diets 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 (2240.92, 2458.70, 2716.57, 2277.21 and N2365.42/bird). It is recommended that PKM can replace maize at 60% in the diet of broiler turkeys for profitable production.