Associative efficiency of rapeseed meal or sunflower seed meal in broiler diets

Six dietary treatments were formulated which included maize-soy based control diet (D₁), and five maize-finger millet (1:1)-soybean meal based diets. The soybean meal (SBM) in maize-finger millet based diet (D₂ was partly replaced with rapeseed meal (RSM) or sunflower seed meal (SSM) at 5 or 10% level each (D₃-D₆). Each dietary treatment was offered to triplicate groups of 10 birds. Inclusion of finger, millet replacing 50% of maize (D₂) depressed weight gain by chicks during 0-4wk of age. Inclusion of RSM or SSM in maize - finger millet (1:1) diet replacing SBM resulted in poor growth during 0-4wk of age, while body weight gain and feed intake during 4-7wk or 0-7wk of age did not differ significantly (P>0.05) due to dietary treatments. Feed utilization efficiency during 0-4wk of age decreased due to inclusion of RSM or SSM but remained unaltered during 0-7wk of age. The ready to cook meat yield did not differ due to dietary treatments, whereas, weight of the giblet, gizzard and liver yields were found significantly (P<0.05) higher in chicks fed the test diets in comparison to those on maize based reference diet. The inclusion of RSM or SSM in finger millet based diet did not alter the feed cost for gain and meat yield significantly (P>0.05). The results indicated that inclusion of RSM or SSM in starting broiler diets based on finger millet may be restricted but can be incorporated at 5 or 10% levels in diets during finisher phase (4–6/7wk of age).