Effect of rhizopus stolonifer fermented cocoa pod husk meal supplemented with enzyme on growth performance, heamato-biochemical indices and sexual maturity of pullet chicken

Anotace: A 25-weeks trial was carried out to determine the efficacy of feeding Rhizopus stolonifer fermented cocoa pod husk meal (FCPH) meal supplemented with Ronozyme multigrain enzyme (RME) on performance at various stages of growth and age at sexual maturity of grower pullets. Two hundred and forty (240) day old Isa Brown chicks were randomly assigned to six (6) dietary treatments. Each treatment was replicated four times comprising of ten (10) chicks per replicate and arranged in a 3 x 2 factorial in Completely Randomized Design. Rhizopus stolonifer FCPH meal was incorporated into the diet as test ingredient at varying inclusion level of 0%, 10% and 20% based on 100% diet. Each diet was then divided into two, one part void of enzyme and designated as diets I, III and V and the other parts supplemented with RME at 200 mg/kg of the diet and designated as diets II, IV and VI respectively. Weight gain, Feed intake and feed gain ratio were significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by the dietary treatments with birds fed diet containing 10 % FCPH meal without RME supplementation having highest weight gain across different stages of growth. The effect of enzyme and the interaction between diet and enzyme were not significant (p ˃ 0.05). Hematological and serum biochemical indices were not significantly (p ˃ 0.05) influenced by the dietary treatments and were all within normal range. Age at first lay and Egg weight at first lay were also significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by the dietary treatment. The use of Rhizopus stolonifer FCPH meal supplemented with RME in grower diets markedly increased age at sexual maturity and weight of first egg laid, with birds fed diets containing 10 % FCPH meal fast coming to lay and birds fed 20 % FCPH meal having higher weight of egg at first lay. Egg weight, egg width, shell surface area, shell thickness, yolk length and albumen length were also significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by the diet treatment. Rhizopus stolonifer FCPH meal up to 10% without RME supplementation can effectively be used in pullet grower’s diets without adversely affecting production performance or sexual maturity into lay.