The Effect of Inclusion of Jatropha curcas Seed Meal in the Diet on Feed Intake, Growth Rate, and Carcass and Meat Quality Traits of Koekoek Chicken

Abstract

A study was carried out for ten weeks to evaluate effect of including treated and untreated jatropha seed meal (JSM) in the ration on feed intake, body weight gain, mortality, and carcass and meat quality traits of Koekoek chicks. Chicks were allotted in five treatment diets with replications and 20 chicks per replication in a completely randomized design. Treatment diets were: T1 = control, T2 = (T1 + untreated), T3 = (T1 + heat treated), T4 = (T1 + NaOH treated) and T5 = (T1 + yeast treated JSM) in which 5% of soybean in T1 was replaced by the respective JSM in T2–T5. The daily body weight gain (DBWG)) was higher (p < 0.05) for chicks fed on T1 and T4 than chicks on T2, T3 and T5. Chicks fed on T1 and T4 diets had higher feed intake than those kept on T2, T3 and T5 diets at (p < 0.05). Chicks receiving the T2 diets had highest FCR followed by T5, T3, T4 and T1, respectively. However there were no significant variations among all the treatment groups. Chicks fed T2 had higher (p < 0.05) mortality rate than chicks in T1, T3 and T4 diets. Slaughter and dressed carcass weight of chicken fed the control diet were significantly the highest (p < 0.05) and T2 was lowest of all other chicken fed treated experimental diets. Thus, it can be concluded that chicks under T1 and T4 had better DBWG, FCR, final body weight and better survivability and carcass characteristics than chicks receiving diets with T2 followed by T3 and T5. Therefore, inclusion of NaOH treated JSM could be used to substitute soybean seed in the diets of growing chicks.