Use of different vegetable oils in broiler diet

The experiment was undertaken on 250 day-old broilers for a period of five weeks to study the effect of different vegetable oils on their performance. The day-old chicks were randomly divided into five groups, viz. A to E receiving isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets containing groundnut oil, soybean oil, mustard oil, sunflower oil and palm oil, respectively. The birds from group E recorded significantly higher live weights than birds from all other groups except group B. The live weights of birds from group B were comparable with groups A and D. However, the birds from group B recorded significantly better live weights than group C. The differences in the live weights of birds from groups A, B and D were statistically non-significant. The birds from group E recorded marginally higher gain in weight followed by birds from groups B, D, A and C. The feed consumption of birds from group A was numerically higher followed by birds from group D, E, C and B. The birds from group E recorded significantly better feed conversion ratio than birds from all other groups, except group B. The differences in feed conversion ratio of birds from group D were statistically non-significant as compared to all groups except group E. Similarly, the difference in feed conversion ratio of the birds receiving A, B and D were also statistically non-significant. The birds from group E gained higher net profit followed by group B, D, A and C. The nitrogen retention of birds from group B was highest followed by group E, D, A and C. Similarly, ether extract digestibility coefficient for group B was highest followed by groups E, D, A and C. The non-significant differences among various groups indicated that the different oils had no significant effect on edible carcass yield, liver, gizzard, heart and abdominal fat pad percentages. Thus, it is concluded that use of palm oil and soybean oil in broiler diets is beneficial in overall improvement in performance of the birds as compared to the use of groundnut oil, mustard oil and sunflower oil.