NUTRITIVE VALUE OF RIPE AND UNRIPE (GREEN) PLANTAIN PEELS (Musa paradisiaca) FOR BROILER CHICKEN

Abstract

The nutritive value of dried plantain peel (DPP) (Musa paradisiaca), ripe and unripe, was studied in a feeding trial with broiler chicken. The DPP was included in the diets to replace maize in iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric diets with 22%) crude protein (CP) and 14.3 MJ metabolizable energy (ME) per kg diet in the starting phase and 18%) CP and 14.OMJ/kg diet in the finishing phase. Two hundred and sixteen day-old Aboracres chicks were assigned to nine dietary treatments in a 2 X 4 factorial design with 2 levels of ripeness (Unripe, ripe) and 4 inclusion levels of DPI' in the diets (7.5,15, 22.5, 30%) and a control diet without DPP. The experiment lasted 8 weeks. Unripe DPP reduced (P <: 0.05) feed consumption at the starting phase and final liveweight, weight gain and feed consumption at the finishing phase. Dressing percentage, pluck weight, relative back weight were increased (P < 0.05) by the unripe DPF while ripe DPP increased (P < 0.05) relative weights of drumstick, wings, breast and thighs. The 22.5 and 30"h inclusion levels of DPP (ripe and unripe) in the diets depressed '(P < 0.05) weight gain and feed consumption at the starting phase and weight gain at the finishing phase. The results show that DPP could be included in broiler diet up to 15'% while ripeness improved the performance of the birds.