ABSTRACT

In a study to evaluate the performance of turkey poults as influenced by oil type and level of supplementation, 6 diets within the range of 28% crude protein and 2800 kcal ME/kg of energy were formulated. 3 of the diets were palm oil (P0) based while the other 3 diets were groundnut oil (GNO) based. The inclusion levels of either P0 or GNO in the diets were 2, 5, and 8% respectively. 60 unsexed local turkey poults whose initial weights at day old that were obtained were randomly assigned to each of the six diets in a 2 X 3 factorially designed experiment for 8 weeks feeding trial. The results of the experiment showed that dietaiy treatments had no effect (p > 0.05) on initial weight (g) and average mortality (%). Similarly, there was no significant difference (p> 0.05) among the treatments for mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) %). Other parameters (Final weight (wt.) (g), Average (Av.) daily feed intake (g/bird), Av. daily weight gain (g/bird) and feed conversion ratio (g/gain) ; Hb (g/dl), Red blood cell (RBC) count, White blood cell (WBC) count, Packed cell volume (PCV), Mean cell haemoglobin (MCH), Mean cell volume (MCV) and serum cholesterol) were all significantly affected by the dietary treatments (p>0.05). Final weight (g) favoured 2% level of P0 (831.25±43.74) followed by 8% GNO (800.0±0.0) and was least for POx5 (668.75±9.74). Av. daily wt. gain (gfbird) was better in GN0x5 (14.8±0.73) than any other treatment. FCR (g/gain) gave lowest value for treatment groups of POx2 and GN0x8 (3.77±0.01 and 3.70±0.04) and POx5 gave the highest value (4.85±0.14). For Hb, P0x2 (9.200±0.363), GN0x5 (9.000±0.363), and GN0x8 (8.250±0.363) gave better values than others. GN0x2 (6.000±0.363) gave the poorest for Hb. RBC showed POx2 (4.000±0.183) and GNOx5 (3.800±0.183) as the highest value for RBC counts. GN0x2 (1.400±0.183) gave the poorest for RBC counts. The WBC gave P0x2 (6.60±0.187), GN0x5 (6.000±0.187), and GNOx8 (5.800±0.187) as the highest counts for WBC. GN0x2 (4.200±0.187) gave the lowest WBC count. The PCV result showed similar value (p <0.05) for P0x2 (28.000±02.309) and GN0x5 (27.000±02.309) but had GN0x2 (18.000±02.309) as the lowest value for PCV. GNO diets yielded lower values for cholesterol than P0 diets. The cholesterol level of POx2 (180.000±5.65 7) was significantly greater (p >< 0.05) and others followed by with the exception of GN0x8 (112.000±05.657) which was the least. If the criteria for consideration in poult production were maximum weight, daily feed intake and feed efficiency, then the present data suggests the optimum dietary inclusion recommended should be POx2 and GNOx5. Both GN0x5 and POx2 did well but POx2 is recommended because of the low level of oil inclusion.