Effect of feeding fermented and non-fermented palm kernel cake on the performance of broiler chickens: a review

SUMMARY

Palm kernel cake (PKC) is a by-product of oil extraction from palm fruits and has been included in poultry diets as an alternative to soybean meal and yellow corn. Due to its high content of fibre, coarse texture and gritty appearance, the use of PKC in poultry nutrition is limited. In order to increase the nutritive value of PKC, there is a tendency nowadays to create solid state fermentation (SSF) by using cellulolytic microbes. This paper reviews the impact of feeding fermented and non-fermented PKC on the performance of broiler chickens. Recent studies have reported that SSF by cellulolytic microorganisms improved the nutritive value of PKC. The nutrient digestibility has been increased significantly in PKC fermented using Paenibacillus polymyxya ATCC 842 or Weisella confusa SR-17b. The availability of valine, histidine, methionine and arginine was 70.42%, 71.50%, 71.92% and 81.15%, respectively, in PKC fermented using P. polymyxa ATCC 842. The digestibility of crude protein (CP) increased by 61.83% and 59.90% in PKC fermented using P. polymyxya ATCC 842 or W. confusa SR-17b, respectively. In addition, body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) improved significantly in broilers fed 15% fermented PKC compared to those fed 15% non-fermented PKC (2000.43 g versus 1823.23 g and 1.75 versus 1.91, respectively). The intestinal Enterobacteriaceae decreased (4.03 CFU/g) and lactic acid bacteria increased (5.56 CFU/g) in birds fed 15% PKC fermented by P. polymyxa ATCC 842. Therefore, fermented PKC can be included in a broiler diet up to 15%, replacing part of soybean and yellow corn in the diet, leading to a decrease in the overall cost of poultry feeding.

KEYWORDS:

• PKC
• fermented PKC
• cellulolytic microbes
• broiler performance

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

M. I. Alshelmani

Mohamed Idris Alshelmani is a Senior Lecturer in the field of Poultry Nutrition (PhD) at the Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Benghazi, Benghazi, Libya. He is the Deputy Dean of the Faculty since March, 2020. email: http://[email protected]

U. Kaka

Ubedullah Kaka is a Senior Lecturer in the field of Anaethesia and Analgesia (PhD). email: http://[email protected]

E. A. Abdalla

Emhimad Ahmad Abdulla is Post Doctoral Fellow in the field of Genetics at the Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. email: http://[email protected]

A. M. Humam

Ali Merza Humam is a Lecturer in the field of Poultry Nutrition at the Department of Animal resources, faculty of Agriculture, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq. emial: http://[email protected]

H. U. Zamani

Hassan Usman Zamani is an academic staff in the field of Poultry Nutrition at Umar Soleiman College of Education Gashua, Yobe state, Nigeria. email: http://[email protected]