ABSTRACT

The experiment was conducted to test the effect of raw jackfruit seed meal (JFM) on performance, nutrient utilization and economics of broiler chicken at both starter and finisher phases using one hundred and forty four (144) chicks. The chicks were fed formulated diets containing JFM at T1(O%), T2 (1O%), T3(20%), T4(30%) levels of inclusion of soybean meal in control diet. Each diet was fed to triplicate groups of 12 seven day old broiler chicks for forty nine (49) days in a completely randomized design (CRD). The birds were fed ad-libitum throughout the period of the experiment. Data on growth and feed intake were collected weekly and daily respectively. At the end of the rearing period (i.e the 3th week) 2 birds per replicate were fed measured quantity (200g) of test diets according to their group for three days. These birds were used for study of utilization of nutrients in the diets. JFM depressed (P<O.05) the weight gain. Feed efficiency for T1 (2.55g) and T2(2.56g) were the same, and significantly better P<O.05) than T3(2.79g) and T4(3.18g). Nitrogen, ether extract, ash retention were virtually the same for birds in diets T1, T2and T3. While energy retention was higher (P<O.05) in birds fed T1 (2.82MJ/kg ME) than those fed with raw JFM T2(2.46MJ/kg ME), T4(L76MJ/kg ME) and T3(1.70MJ/kg ME). Cost per kg feed T1 (131.59); T2(M27.17); T3(4123.66 and T4(M23.24) decreased (P<O.05) with increase in inclusion of raw JFM while cost of total feed consumed did not follow a particular pattern. Cost per weight gain, revenue and gross margin were the same for birds fed control and those fed 10% inclusion of JFM. The results indicate that raw JFM is a potential feed resource and could be included in the diet of broiler chicken up to 10% level of inclusion of soybean meal in the control diet.