ABSTRACT

The effect of feed1g turkeys with treatment diets in which maize was replaced with palm kernel meal (PKM) lasted 24 weeks during which the birds were fed the treatment diets as turkey starter, grower and finisher rations. Six treatment diets were formulated in which PKM replaced maize at 0, 20, 40. 60, 80 and 100 percent. A total of 216 local turkey poults were used in the study. They were randomly allotted to the six treatment diets replicated into 3 each. The design of the experiment was a completely randomised design. The final weight of birds fed diets 3 and 4 (4767.00 and 5229.33gm/bird) were not significantly different (P>0.05) but were significantly higher (P<0.05) than that of diets 1, 5 and 6 respectively. The feed intake of the birds increased with level of replacement. The weight gain of birds fed diets 3 and 4 (28.07 and 30.82g/bird/day) were not significantly different (P>0.05) but that of diets 4 was significantly higher (P<0.05) than the weight gain of birds fed diets 1, 2, 5 and 6. The efficiency of conversion of feed to weight (FCR) of diets 1, 2. 3 and 4 were not significantly different (P>0.05) but were respectively more efficient than that of diets 5 and 6. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the mortality of birds fed the treatment diets. Economics of production of birds fed the treatment diets showed that there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the values of cost of production and cost per weight gain for all the treatment diets. The gross margin of birds fed diet 4 (N3079.89/bird) was significantly greater than others. The percentage dressed weight of birds fed diets 1, 2, 3 and 5 (70.21, 68.83, 69.58 and 68.95%) were not significantly different (P>0.05) from one another. The numerical value of dressed weight of turkeys ted diet 4 (3219.87g/bird) was higher than others. The abdominal fat of turkeys fed diets 4, 5 and 6 were significantly higher (P<0.05) than others. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in tl breast, wings and back of turkeys fed the treatment diets. There was no significant difference (P<0.05) in the meat: bone ratio of ti.irkeys fed diets 3 (2.95), 4 (2.96), 5 (3.12) and 6 (3.13) but they were significantly higher (P><0.05) than that of diets 1 (2.69) and 2 (2.80) respectively. Apart from the spleen there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the values of the other internal organs of turkeys fed the treatment diets. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the dry matter, crude plotein. crude fat and nitrogen free extract content of meat of turkeys fed the treatment diets. The crude fibre of birds fed diets 2 and 6 and the ash content of birds on diet 5 were respectively significantly higher (P<0.05) than others. The values of lauric and myristic acids of turkeys fed the diets increased while that of oleic, stearic and linoleic acids decreased with the level of replacement of maize with PKM. Digestibility of almost all the dietary nutrients decreased with increase in the level of replacement. Fibre digestibility of diet 2 was significantly higher (P><0.05) than that of diet 1. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the values of red blood corpuscles (RB C) arhi mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) of turkeys fed the treatment diets. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the haemoglobin and white blood corpuscles of turkeys fed diets 1, 2, 3 and 4. The PCV of birds fed dits 1, 3 and 4 were significantly higher (P<0.05) than that of the turkeys fed other diets. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the serum triglyceride and Glutarnate-oxalocetate transaminase (SGOT) of turkeys fed the diets. With the exception of total serum protein of turkey fed diet 2, glucose content of turkeys fed diets 5, creatinine value of turkeys fed diets 3 and serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) value of turkey fed diets 2 there were no significant differences (P>0.05) in the values of these parameters. The sensory evaluation result showed that there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the scores for taste, texture and flavour of the meat of turkeys fed the treatment diets. The colour of meat of turkeys fed diet 2 was significantly better (P<0.05) than others with the exception of that of turkeys fed diet 5. The general acceptability of the meat of turkeys fed diet 2 was not significantly different (P>0.05) from that of turkeys fed diets 3 to 6 but was significantly higher (P