Replacement value of fishmeal by poultry hatchery wastemeal in the diets of pullet growers and layers

Abstract

Fishmeal is one and possibly the major conventional source of protein in poultry feeds in Nigeria. At present the astronomical rise in the prices of this and other conventional ingredients has put enormous pressure on the poultry farmers to look for alternatives. The effect of poultry hatchery waste meal on the replacement of fish meal on equal protein basis of 0,25, 50, 75 and 100% in the diets of 100 Isa brown pullet groves and layers on their performance characteristics and egg characteristics during 14 to 20 weeks was investigated. Five dietary treatments were randomly applied to 10 groups of 10 birds each. Observations were made at four weeks is nitrogenous with 2600kcal/kg/ME and 15% crude protein respectively.

It was observed that replacement of fishmeal (FM) and poultry hatchery waste meal (PHWM) did not produce significant (p>0.05) effect on the performance characteristics. Significant differences (p<0.05) was obtained for birds on treatments 1, II and III to that of birds on treatments IV and V during 5^th periods. There were also significant difference (p<0.05) between treatments during the 4^th and 5^th periods. Poorer values were obtained for food than the values obtained during the 1^st period. Mean daily egg yield also show a significant difference (p<0.05) in the egg yield produced by birds on diets I and V for the 5^th periods. Egg quality characteristics show a similarity (p>0.05) during 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th period except for eggs length and egg volume showing significant differences (p<0.05) between diets I and IV. It is therefore recommended that PHWM could replace FM completely in layers diet without any adverse effect on the performance characteristics.