HOUSEFLY MAGGOT MEAL AND POULTRY VISCERAL OFFAL MEAL AS PROTEIN S'&TBPLENP]ENTS ~ IN THE DIETS OF STARTER BULLET CHICKS

Abstract

A &week feeding trial involving 140 day-old Isa Brown pullet chicks was conducted to evaluate housefly maggot meal (HFMM) and poultry visceral offal meal (PVOM), substituting for Danish fish MEAL (FM) on equi-protein basis in their diets. Diet A (control) contained 8% FM as sole source of animal protein contributing 26% of the dietary crude protein content (20% CP). Fifty, seventy-five and one hundred percent of protein supplied by the proportion of FM in the control diet were supplied by the equivalent proportions of HIFMM in diets B,D, & F and of PVOM in diets C,E & G on the basis- of their respective crude protein contents. The diets were also isocaloric (ca 2900kcal/ME.

Results on weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio showed that FM couId be replaced partially or completely with HFMM and PVOM without detrimental effects. This is an indication that the protein sources could satisfy the nutrient requirements of the starter pullet chicks. However, it was apparent that HFMM protein was slightly inferior to those of FM and PVOM. This is evident in the slower growth rate [though not significand and higher feed cost per unit of gain, especially on the HRMM-based diet F than WOM - based diet G. Conclusively, the use of HFMM and PVOM as substitutes for FM could lower feed cost. The novel protein sources could also be blended in certain ratios to substitute FM to reduce feed cost.