Morula (Sclerocarya birrea) kernel cake as a partial soybean meal replacer in Ross 308 broiler diets: Effects on feed utilisation, growth performance, and selected blood parameters

The effects of replacing soybean meal (SBM) with graded levels morula kernel cake (MKC) on growth performance and haemo-biochemical parameters in broiler chickens were studied. Four isonitrogenous iso-caloric diets formulated by the SBM component at 0, 40, 80 120 g/kg MKC as protein source grower finisher diets. One hundred sixty 2-week-old chicks randomly allocated to treatments, which replicated five times (eight birds/pen). Growth blood measured. Results showed that neither linear nor quadratic trends observed for weekly feed intake (WFI), weight gain (WWG), conversion ratio (WFCR), levels. However, packed cell volume (PCV) quadratically decreased (Y=37.4±1.2+1.4±0.5+0.13±0.03X²; R2=0.39; p=0.005) levels, heterophils increased (y=50.9±1.8+1.18±0.73x; R2=0.35, p=0.009) while lymphocytes linearly (y=40.7±1.67-1.42±0.67x; p=0.02) There was a decrease (Y=0.81±0.02-0.01±0.01x; R2=0.2895; magnesium phosphorus Quadratic (Y=17.2±0.6+0.7±0.2+0.04±0.02X²; R2=0.47; p=0.05) also iron increased. All biochemistry fell within normal range birds. present results indicate inclusion up does not result adverse diet utilisation, performance, health status Ross 308 chickens, indicating has potential be used an alternative SBM.