Effects of palm kernel meal level on live performance and gut morphology of broilers

A study was conducted to determine the effects of feeding different levels of palm kernel meal (PKM) on the live performance and gut morphology of broilers. In total, 600 one-day-old broilers (Ross 308) were divided into two groups. Each group consisted of six replications with 50 birds (25 males and 25 females) each. The diets were: 1) corn-soybean meal basal diet with low PKM levels (5% and 7.5% in starter and grower diets, respectively) and 2) corn-soybean basal diet with high PKM levels (10% and 15% in starter and grower diets, respectively). The experiment was conducted from 1 to 35 days of age (DOA). All birds were raised in an evaporative cooling house with pellet feed and water provided ad libitum. During 1–17 DOA, feeding diets with different levels of PKM had no effect on broiler performance (p > 0.05). During 18–35 DOA, feeding high levels of PKM had no significant effect on body weight gain, feed intake and mortality of broilers. However, birds fed high PKM diets had a significantly higher feed conversion ratio (FCR) than the low PKM group (P = 0.0495). Throughout the experimental period (1–35 DOA), feeding high levels of PKM had no effect on body weight gain but feed intake tended to increase with high PKM levels (P = 0.0873). This led to a significant lower feed conversion ratio of broilers (P = 0.0505). No significant effect of PKM level was observed on the ileum morphology and litter quality of broilers. It was concluded that feeding high levels of PKM had a negative effect on the feed efficiency but not on the gut health and litter quality of broilers.