Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Broiler Birds Fed Graded Levels of Kapok (Bombax costatum)

The study was conducted in poultry production unit of the Teaching and Research farm in the Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Usmanu Danfodiyo University to investigate the effect of graded levels of kapok seed meal on broiler bird’s performance. A total of 288 broiler chickens were being used. The broiler chickens randomly divided into four treatments groups (four experimental diets) T1 (control), T2 (0.5kg/100kg), T3 (1Kg/100kg) and T4 (1.5kg/100Kg). At the termination of the experiment (day 56), two birds from each pen (replicate) having representative weights for the group (6 birds per Treatment) were selected. The selected birds were bled, dressed and eviscerated. At starter phase the result shows no significant difference (P>0.05) between the treatments with regards to final body weight and average daily weight gain, birds in treatment 4 had higher (P<0.05) feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to the other treatments. The result shows significant difference (P<0.05) between the treatments across all the parameters measured except FCR. Birds fed treatment 4 record higher values (P<0.05) of all the parameters measured compared to treatment 1 at finisher phase. The result on carcass shows significant difference (P<0.05) in terms of liver, lung, spleen and crop. Birds in treatment 2 have lower (P<0.05) liver compared to the other treatments. Higher (P<0.05) crop weight are recorded for birds in treatment 1 compared to the other treatments. The study concludes that ingredients of kapok (Bombax costatum) in poultry diet significantly (p<0.05) improved performance of broiler birds at starter and finisher phase at rate of 0.5kg/100kg inclusion of fed.