Abstract

This study examined the replacement of dry heat treated mango kernel at different levels (0, 10, 20 and 30%) in the diet of 120 Anak broiler birds. The birds were allotted to four treatments of 10 birds each and the experiment was replicated 3 times. They were fed ad libitum and data were collected on performance [feed intake, weight gain, and feed conversion ratio (FCR)], blood and serum parameters (packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb) concentration, red blood cell (RBC) count, white blood cell (WBC) count total protein and albumin] and carcass parameters (thigh weight, drumstick weight, breast weight, back weight and wing weight). Average final weight and average weight gain were significantly (p < 0.05) high in birds placed on 0 and 30% dry heat treated mango kernel, while FCR was significantly low in birds fed with 30% heat treated mango kernel. Birds on 0% heat treated mango kernel had significantly high thigh, drumstick breast, back and wing weights (p < 0.05), followed by birds on 30% heat treated mango kernel. PCV and RBC shows significant differences (p < 0.05) in favour of birds on 0 and 20% heat treated mango kernel. Total protein and albumin were significantly high (p < 0.05) in birds fed with 10% heat treated mango kernel; urea was significantly high in birds fed with 10 and 20% heat treated mango kernel. Alanine transaminase (ALT) also shows high significant difference (p < 0.05) in birds fed with 30% heat treated mango kernel, but all values falls within the normal range for broilers. This study reveals that dry heat treated mango kernel can be used in broiler diet up to 30% maize replacement without any adverse effect.

Key words: Mango kernel, heat, broiler, carcass.