Substitution of palm kernel meal for ground corn in layer diets I. Growing period

Experiment was carried out to study the effects of substitution of plam kernel meal (PKM) for ground corn on the growth performances and cost of feed in pullets. In a completely randomized design, two-week old Isa Brown chicks were randomly allocated to 21 cages with 20 chicks/cage. Seven dietary treatments (corn-based diet as control, 10 percent PKM, 20 percent PKM, 30 percent PKM, 10 percent PKM + methionine and lysine, 20 percent PKM + methionine and lysine and 30 percent PKM + methionine and lysine) were fed to the chicks (3 cages/treatment) until they reached 16 weeks old. There was no significant difference (P0.05) in feed intake among the feeding regimes. However, the highest body weight and weight gain and the lowest feed conversion rate were achieved in the 10 percent PKM + methionine and lysine diet. Although pullets fed this diet had similar (P0.05) body weight and weight gain to those fed diets with methionine and lysine supplements, they were significantly (P0.01) bigger and had greater weight gain than those on control and 10 percent PKM diets. The pullets fed 20 percent and 30 percent PKM diets supplemented with methionine and lysine had similar (P0.05) body weight and weight gain to the control group and the group fed 10 percent PKM. Pullets fed 20 percent and 30 percent PKM without methionine and lysine supplementation had significantly (P0.01) poorer growth performances compared with other groups. The cost of feed increased with increasing levels of PKM in the diets and the average mortality rate of pullets in this experiment was 3.09 percent. From these findings, it is suggested that 10 percent PKM with amino acids supplementation is the optimum substitute for ground corn in the diet of pullets. With amino acids supplementation, The PKM substitution can be increased to 30 percent and the amount of ground corn reduced by 56 percent of the control diet with no significant adverse effects on pullet performance.