Growth and Economic Performance of Broilers Fed at the Starter Phase with Diets Containing African Baobab (Adansonia digitata, L.) Seed Cake in Dakar Region, Sénégal

S.B. Ayssiwede, Y. A. Issa, A.E. Djettin, S. Atchiwassa, M. Tigana, M.C. Bonou, G. Nahimana and A. Missohou

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of African baobab (Adansonia digitata) seed cake on the growth and economic performance of broiler chickens when added to their starter diet. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted from February to March 2017 at the EISMV farm located in Sangalkam (Dakar region), a total of 300 day-old unsexed chicks of the Cobb500 strain were randomly divided into 4 batches of 75 subjects (with 3 replicates of 25 subjects). Four dietary treatments (ADC₀, ADC₃, ADC₆ and ADC₉) were formulated such that baobab seed cake was included at 0, 3, 6 and 9% dietary levels respectively. For the first two weeks of the trial (starter phase), chicks were fed experimental diets. After that, they were fed commercial diets until the end of the trial at six weeks. The obtained data (live weight, average daily gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, carcass weight and dressing and economic margins) were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. Differences among means were tested using Duncan multiple range test with the help of IBM-SPSS-v.23 software. Differences of p<0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: A starter ration containing 3% (ADC₃) baobab seed cake significantly improved live weight, average daily gain, daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio of the birds compared to control (ADC₀), whereas ADC₆ and ADC₉ deteriorated at start-up and even for the rest of the trial (except feed conversion ratio) including carcass weights, dressings and profit margins. Conclusion: Baobab seed cake can be included in the diet of broiler chicks up to 9% without adverse effects on their health or mortality. But the incorporation of 3% baobab seed cake in the starter diet was alone the adequate level to optimize growth performance and profitability in broiler farming.

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