Dried Date (<i>Phoenix dactylifera</i> L.) Meal Inclusion in the Diets of Broilers Affects Growth Performance, Carcass Traits, Nutrients Digestibility, Fecal Microbiota and Economics

Abstract

The availability of suitable feedstuffs for poultry nutrition is a significant challenge faced by the global poultry production industry. This issue has been exacerbated by the shift towards using grains for biofuel production, leading to a subsequent rise in feedstuff prices. The study aimed to assess the impact of different levels of dried date wastes in the diet of broiler chicks on their growth, carcass characteristics, nutrient digestibility, fecal microbiota and economics. A total of 240 day-old broiler chicks (Ross 308/Ross 308 FF) were divided into five experimental groups and fed 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12% of dietary date meal (DDM). The formulated diets were provided to chicks for a duration of 35 days. The findings of the study indicated that chicks fed with a diet containing 9% dried dates exhibited a significantly (p p p p Lactobacillus and decreased (p E. coli count. Similarly, economically, birds supplemented with 9% DDM exhibited significantly (p Lactobacillus, reduced E. coli count and economics.

Keywords

• broilers
• dried date meal
• growth
• carcass
• nutrients digestibility