Effect of Different Dietary Levels of Palm Oil Sludge on the Growth Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Local Turkeys.

Abstract A 56 day experiment was conducted to determine the effect of different dietary levels of palm oil sludge on the growth performance, carcass trait, and economic cost of feeding local turkeys. Forty local poults (mixed sexes) were randomly assigned to five treatment groups with eight poults per treatment. Each treatment was replicated twice with four poults per replicate in a completely randomized design. The poults were fed commercial broiler starter ration containing 24% crude protein and 2800kcal/kgME for the first 6 weeks. Thereafter, five experimental diets containing varying levels of palm oil sludge were formulated and fed until the turkeys attained the age of 14 weeks. The experimental diets were designated T1,T2, T3, T4 and T5 with T1 containing 0% inclusion of palm oil sludge serving as control, while T2, T3, T4 and T5 had 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% levels of inclusion of palm oil sludge, respectively. The body weights of the turkeys were taken weekly for 8 weeks while the feed intake of the turkeys was recorded daily. The feed conversion ratio and daily weight gain of the turkeys were computed. At the age of 14 weeks, four birds per treatment were randomly selected, weighed and sacrificed for carcass and organ evaluation. Weights of eviscerated carcass, breast, thigh, drumstick, back, wing, head, shank, back, neck, liver, heart, gizzard, spleen, abdominal and visceral fat were recorded. The results showed that the final live weight, total weight gain, total feed intake and feed conversion ratio were significantly (P< 0.05) lighter than those of other treatments. The final live weight of birds on treatments 1,3,4 and 5 were 2010g, 1950g, 2050g and 1750g, respectively. The total weight gain on treatments 1,3,4 and 5 were 1730g, 1670g, 1770g, 1460g, respectively. The total feed intake of birds on treatments 1,3,4 and 5 were 4610g, 4560g, 4770g and 4410g, respectively. Feed conversion ratio values of 2.66, 2.72, 2.69 and 2.69 were recorded for birds on treatments 1,3,4 and 5, respectively. The cost of production showed that there were significant differences (p

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Title page - - - - - - - - - - ii

Certification- - - - - - - - - - iii

Dedication - - - - - - - - - - iv

Acknowledgement - - - - - - - - - v

Table of contents - - - - - - - - - vi

List of tables - - - - - - - - - -

ix

Abstract - - - - - - - - - - x

Chapter one

1.1 Introduction - - - - - - - - 1

1.2 Objectives of the study - - - - - - - 4

Chapter Two.

2.0 Literature Review - - - - - - - - 5

2.1 Origin of turkey - - - - - - - - 5

2.2 Breeds of turkey - - - - - - - - 5

2.2.1 Local turkey- - - - - - - - - 5

2.3 The nutrient requirement of poultry - - - - - 6

2.3.1 Protein - - - - - - - - - 6

2.3.2 Energy - - - - - - - - - 7

2.3.3 Vitamins and minerals - - - - - - - 9

2.3.4 Water - - - - - - - - - 13

2.4 Nutrients levels of turkey diets - - - - - - 13

2.5 Early protein under-nutrition in turkeys - - - - 14

2.6 Live weight - - - - - - - - - 18

2.7 Factors affecting growth performance - - - - 19

2.8 Carcass quality of turkeys - - - - - - 20

2.9 Conformation - - - - - - - - 21

2.10 Distribution of meat in the carcass - - - - - 21

2.11 Carcass parts and organ meat - - - - - - 21

2.12 Turkey broiler carcass cut- - - - - - - 22

2.13 Use of agro by-products - - - - - - - 26

2.14 Palm oil sludge - - - - - - - - 26

Chapter Three

3.0 Materials and methods

3.1 Location and duration of study - - - - - - 30

3.2 Experimental materials - - - - - - - 30

3.3 Experimental diets - - - - - - - 30

3.4 Management of experimental animals - - - - 32

3.5 Carcass and organ evaluation - - - - - - 33

3.6 Experimental design - - - - - - - 33

vi

Chapter Four

4.0 Results - - - - - - - - - 35

4.1 Final live weights - - - - - - - - 38

4.2 Total weight gain - - - - - - - - 38

4.3 Total feed intake - - - - - - - - 38

4.4 Average daily weight gain - - - - - - 38

4.5 Average daily feed intake - - - - - - -

39

4.6 Feed conversion ratio - - - - - - - 39

4.7 Mortality - - - - - - - - - 39

4.8 Cost of feeding local turkeys - - - - - - 39

4.9 Carcass characteristics of local turkeys - - - - 40

4.10 Fasted live weight - - - - - - - - 43

4.11 Dressed weight - - - - - - - - 43

4.12 Thigh and drumstick - - - - - - - 43

4.13 Breast- - - - - - - - - 43

4.14 Wings- - - - - - - - - - 44

4.15 Neck - - - - - - - - - - 44

4.16 Head - - - - - - - - - - 44

4.17 Gizzard - - - - - - - - - 45

4.19 Liver - - - - - - - - - 45

Chapter Five

5.0 Discussion - - - - - - - - - 46

5.1 Final body weight - - - - - - - - 46

5.2 Daily weight gain - - - - - - - - 47

5.3 Feed intake - - - - - - - - - 48

5.4 Feed conversion ratio - - - - - - - 49

5.5 Cost analysis - - - - - - - - 50

5.6 Dressed carcass weight - - - - - - - 50

5.7 Thigh and drumstick - - - - - - - 50

5.8 Back - - - - - - - - - - 51

5.9 Breast- - - - - - - - - 52

5.10 Wings - - - - - - - - - -

52

5.11 Head - - - - - - - - - - 53

5.12 Gizzard - - - - - - - - - 53

5.13 Heart - - - - - - - - - - 54

5.14 Liver - - - - - - - - - - 54

5.15 Mortality - - - - - - - - - 54