Effects of processing methods and levels of inclusion of Jatropha curcas kernel meal on performance, organ characteristics, haematology and serum chemistry of finisher broiler chickens
Department of Animal Nutrition and Biotechnology (1,3)
Department of Physiology, Ladoke Akintola, University of Technology, P.M.B. 4000, Ogbomoso, Nigeria (2)
Three hundred 21-day-old broiler chicks were reared using a 3 x 3factorial model in a completely randomized design with 10 treatment groups having 3 replicates of 10 birds each. The birds were raised on a commercial starter diet at the starter phase before being allotted into dietary groups in a 21-d feeding trial at the finisher phase. The interaction between treatment and varying inclusion levels of processed-fermentedJatropha curcas(L) kernel meals(JKM)on the performance of broiler chickswas investigated. Jatropha curcaskernels were subjected to threedifferent processing methods, namely: raw defatted fermented meal (RDFM), cooked defatted fermented meal (CDFM) and lye treated defatted fermented meal (LDFM). Each meal was included at varying inclusion levels of 2.5%, 5.0% and 7.5%such that diet 1(control)contained 0% JKM while diets 2, 3, 4 contained 2.5%, 5.0% and 7.5% RDFM, diets 5, 6, and 7 contained 2.5%, 5.0% and 7.5% CDFM and diets 8, 9, 10 contained 2.5%, 5.0% and 7.5% LDFM. Feeding differently processed-fermented JKM to these broilers did not (p>0.05) compromise the feed conversion ratio. The resultsindicatedan improvement (p<0.05) in the weight gainof broiler chicks fed CDFM and LDFM at 2.5 and 5.0% inclusion levels respectively. There were significantly (P<0.05) elevated levels of alkaline phosphataseand creatinine in their blood serum. The kidney, lungs and proventriculus of birds fed CDFM showed significant differences (p<0.05) among the treatments. Therefore, finisher broilers could tolerate up to 5.0% inclusion level of LDFM.