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GROWTH RESPONSE AND CARCASS QUALITY OF BROILER CHICKENS FED GRADED LEVELS OF SESAME (Sesamum indicum) MEAL SUPPLEMENTED WITH A MULTI-ENZYME
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1  Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
Academic Editor: Elisabete Matos

Abstract:

The poultry industry seeks innovative strategies to mitigate rising feed costs and competition for conventional feedstuffs towards achieving sustainable livestock. This study evaluated the impact of graded levels of sesame meal (SM), supplemented with a multi-enzyme complex, as a sustainable partial replacement for highly priced conventional feed ingredients on the growth response and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. A total of 210 Arbor Acre broiler chicks were randomly allotted to seven dietary treatments in a completely randomized design, comprising 0%–25% SM inclusion with enzyme supplementation, which lasted for 8 weeks. The growth response showed that higher SM inclusion levels (>10%) significantly (P<0.05) depressed the body weight gain, average daily gain, and feed intake, while FCR increased. However, birds fed up to 10% SM inclusion exhibited comparable growth performance to the control, with an FCR of 1.96-1.97. Carcass evaluation indicated that increased SM inclusion significantly reduced abdominal fat (1.00-0.31%), thereby suggesting SM’s potential anti-lipogenic effect. Additionally, breast yield declined with higher inclusions (e.g., 31.50% at 20% SM vs. 35.37% at 15% SM). The study concluded that SM supplemented with a multi-enzyme can successfully replace up to 10% of conventional feed ingredients in broiler diets without compromising growth or carcass quality. However, higher inclusion levels require an increased enzyme dosage to reduce anti-nutritional effects and support sustainable and cost-effective poultry feeding.

Keywords: Sesame meal; broiler chickens; enzyme supplementation; growth performance; feed conversion ratio (FCR)

 
 
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