Effect of using date stone meal with or without kemzyme supplementation on productive performance and carcass characteristics of growing turkey

Abstract EN

This experiment was carried out at Maryout Research Station, to evaluate the nutritive value of date stone meal (DSM) as a non-conventional feedstuff in growing turkey diets with or without kemzyme supplementation and their effects on productive performance and carcass characteristics. Three hundred and twelve unsexed one-month old turkey poults (Black Baladi) were divided into 8 experimental groups.

Each treatment involved 39 poults in 3replicates, of 13 poults each.

The experiment continued up to 20 weeks of age, the experimental period lasted for 16 weeks.

DSM was ground and added to the experimental diets at levels 0, 10, 15 or 20%, respectively. Diets were supplemented with kemzyme at a level of 1g/kg diet.

Crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE) and ash content showed values of 7.72, 5.24 and 1.40% in DSM as compared to 7.36, 4.67 and 1.96% for the same nutrients in yellow corn.

Nitrogen free extract (NFE) were somewhat lower (64.41%) as compared to 72.24% in yellow corn.

Crude fibers (CF), on the other hand, showed a higher value being 10.34% in DSM as compared to 2.38% in yellow corn.

Also, gross energy (GE) showed a higher value (4377kcal/kg) in DSM as compared to yellow corn (3969 kcal / kg) At the end of growing period, body weight of poults fed 20% DSM in their diets and supplemented with kemzyme exceeded those fed the same diet without kemzyme by 387.2 g.

In the same way, average body weight gain (4-20 wks of age) was 35.84g/day in 20% DSM group supplemented with kemzyme compared to 32.45g / day at the same level of DSM without kemzyme. Poults in the 20% DSM group supplemented with kemzyme consumed the highest amount of feed being 138.21 g/poult/day (from 4-20 wks of age) as compared to 1365.23 at the same DSM level without kemzyme.

In the same way, poults fed diets with DSM and supplemented with kemzyme showed an improvement in feed conversion values than those fed diets without kemzyme supplementation A gradual decrease in digestibility coefficients of nutrients and the energetic values of the experimental diets due to the increase of dietary DSM levels was observed.

Kemzyme supplementation improved the digestibility coefficients and the ME values of the experimental diets.

Carcass weight and dressing percentage were not significantly influenced by DSM levels with or without kemzyme supplementation.

Gizzard weight percentage was increased in DSM groups but the differences were not significant.

Chemical analysis of carcass meat (moisture, CP, EE and ash%) showed no significant differences when diets were supplemented with kemzyme in comparison to the unsupplemented diets. The inclusion of DSM in the experimental diets supplemented with kemzyme showed a better economic efficiency even than the control group.

Conclusively, it could be recommended to use DSM at a level of 20% supplemented with kemzyme in growing turkey diets without negative effects on performance and carcass characteristics.