Effects of Palm Kernel Cake on Daily Gain and Carcass Yield of Broiler Chicks; Efecto de la Sustituciôn de Palmiste por Maiz en la Dieta de Polio Engorde Sobre la Ganancia Diaria y el Rendimiento de Canal

Corn and soybean meal, used in the diet of broiler chickens are expensive and they are imported commodities in the Dominican Republic. Therefore, feeding alternatives to these ingredients are needed in this country. Palm kernel cake (PKC) has shown to improved body weight and feed conversion of chickens, pig and cattle. However, it has not been evaluated in the Dominican Republic conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of PKC on broiler performance and carcass yield at 43 days of age. Two separate trials were conducted using a total of 200 chicks per trial and the results were combined for the statistic analysis. These chicks were randomly distributed in five treatment groups (40 chicks/treatment group/trial). The treatment groups include a normal corn-soybean meal diet, which met or exceeded the nutritional requirements of NRC, 1994 or the same diet with 6%, 12%, 24% and 30% of PKC. Chickens were weighted weekly and the feed intake was registered daily. The feed intake for the whole period of the experiment (43 days) was significant higher at 6%, (3.04 ± 0.18 kg) 12% (3.38 ± 0.18 kg), 24% (3.63 ± 0.18 kg) and 30% (3.60 ± 0.18 kg) compared to PKC control diet (2.42 ±0.18 kg). The PKC treatments increased the daily weight gain (56.40 ± 1.06 g/d (from day 0 to 43) at 12 % compared to 0% (44.75 ± 1.06 g/d). The feed efficiency was improved at 6% PKC (79.34 ± 1.40) compared to 30% (62.14 ± 1.39). Carcass yield was not affected by the PKC levels. The data of the present study suggest that the addition of PKC in the diet of chicken may substitute the corn without affecting chicken performance; moreover, PKC may represent an alternative to reduce the cost in the poultry industry