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Vol. 6, Issue 3, Part A (2021)

Effect of restricted replacement of soybean meal with different levels of defatted apricot kernel meal on growth performance, carcass traits and blood constituents of broiler chickens

Author(s): Mahmoud Ahmed Abo Mhara
Abstract: A study was conducted to investigate the effects of deffated apricot kernel meal (DAKM) as a partial replacement for soybean meal (SBM) in broiler diets on growth performance, carcass traits, blood metabolites and economic efficiency. Three hundred; one-day-old Cobb-400 broilers, each with five replicates (n = 15 chicks per replicate), were submitted to one of the four diets containing 0, 25, 50, and 75% SBM were replaced with DAKM in starter and grower diets, respectively for 42 days in a completely randomized design. Body Weight (BW), Body Weight Gain (BWG) and Feed Intake (FI) were significantly lower in broilers fed (DAKM-35) and (DAKM-45) than those fed (DAKM-25) and (DAKM0), whereas Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) was better significantly when broilers fed on (DAKM-25). Performance Index (PI) was superior in the (DAKM-25) followed by SBM-fed groups when compared to the other groups. Digestibility coefficients of OM, CP, CF and NFE were significantly higher for broilers fed on (DAKM-25) than those fed other diets, however, EE was highest for broilers fed on (DAKM-35) and (DAKM-45). Carcass traits, cut-up parts and yields significantly increased (P<0.05) for chicks fed (DAKM0) and (DAKM-25), while the group fed on (DAKM0) recorded lower abdominal fat (%) followed by (DAKM-25) group. The ascending levels of DAKM treatments influenced the carcass meat, which was observed as a decrease in CP contents significant, but an increase in moisture, EE and ash contents significant in breast and thigh meat compared to (DAKM0) group. Broilers fed on (DAKM-45) had the lowest triglycerides, cholesterol, LDL and vLDL concentrations than the other treatments. The best value of Economic Efficiency (EE) was recorded by the group fed on (DAKM-25). High levels of DAKM in broiler diets deleteriously affect growth performance, FI, FCR and blood lipids. It was concluded that the optimal level of DAKM is a low level of 25% without adverse effects on growth performance, carcass traits, blood lipids or economic efficiency of broilers.
Pages: 58-65  |  441 Views  14 Downloads


International Journal of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry
How to cite this article:
Mahmoud Ahmed Abo Mhara. Effect of restricted replacement of soybean meal with different levels of defatted apricot kernel meal on growth performance, carcass traits and blood constituents of broiler chickens. Int J Vet Sci Anim Husbandry 2021;6(3):58-65. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22271/veterinary.2021.v6.i3a.424
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International Journal of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry