Effects of palm kernel shell ash as organic mineral supplement on performance of broiler chicks

Evaluation of palm kernel shell ash (PKSA) as organic mineral supplement on broiler chicks performance was conducted. Ninety six Arbor Acre day old chicks were randomly assigned in 3 replicates of eight birds per replicate to four experimental diets containing graded levels of PKSA at 0, 5, 10 and 15kg/ton of feed labeled T₁, T₂, T₃ and T₄ respectively. At 1^st week of life, the chicks were assessed for growth performance, digestive tract development, histology and digesta pH. The growth performance of the chicks were affected (P<0.05) by the supplementation on treatment groups in all parameters except the FCR. The digestive tract development shown by percentage crop weight, proventriculus weight, liver weight and large intestinal weights were significantly affected. The histological analysis of the villi shows that birds consuming T₁ and T₃ diets were more developed (p<0.05) than those consuming T₂ and T₄ diets. The pH of the digesta contents in the GIT of the various segments showed that PKSA supplementation affected (P<0.05) them except those in the proventriculus and large intestine. The quadratic function showed that only pH of digesta in crop and small intestine were positively influenced (P<0.05) among the significant parameters by optimum inclusion levels of 25% and 17.5% PKSA respectively. Therefore, PKSA could be used favorably in broiler chicks production at levels of up to 10%.