Abstract

Utilization of silkworm pupae meal for feed will partially meet the protein feed deficiency, and fish meal competing uses. Silkworm pupa was used as a fishmeal substitute at different levels in poultry feeds to determine the growth performance and carcass characteristics after feeding day old Kuroiler chicks for 8 weeks. Fishmeal was substituted with Silkworm pupae at percentages of 25 (T3), 50 (T2) and 100 (T1) with a commercial feed as a control with 100% fish meal (T0). Seventy-two, one day old female chicks were procured from a reputable hatchery and housed in wooden cages. Four diets were assigned to each cage and replicated three times having 18 chicks per treatment in a completely randomized design. At 8 weeks of age, two birds were slaughtered and carcasses obtained to assess the yield. High growth results were observed in T1. Feed intake differed significantly (p<0.05). Live weight gain had a significant difference across treatments (p<0.05). Dressed weight was affected by the replacement of fish meal with silkworm pupae (p<0.05) and the dressed chicken components were not significantly different (p>0.05). This study recommends the utilization of silkworm pupae-based feeds in 100% total replacement resulting in optimal growth performance.

Key words:  Fish meal, Kuroiler chicks, growth performance, Silkworm pupa.