The By-Products of Prickly Pear Processing in Broiler Feed: Case of Dehydrated Husks and Cake

Abstract

Background: The utilization of agro-industrial by-products is a potential substitution of imported raw materials in broiler feed formulas for developing countries. This study aims to determine the effects of substituting prickly pear husks for maize and prickly pear seed cake for soybean meal on the production performance, slaughter characteristics, and chemical composition of broiler meat.Materials and methods: Two hundred day-old chicks of equal sex ratio (1:1) of Big Fast strain, weighing on average 37±2g, were randomly divided into 4 homogeneous groups of 50 subjects each. Each group was subdivided into 10 packs of 05 animals, banded and numbered. The rations distributed with a substitution rate of 0, 10%, 20%, and 30% of maize and soybean meal by dehydrated husks and prickly pear cake were randomly distributed through the different groups.Results: Average daily gains and body weights at 48 days were improved (p<0.05) for the 10% and 20% groups and the 30% group performed identically to the control. Cold carcass yield was optimal for 10% and 20% groups. The liver weight of the experimental groups decreased significantly (p<0.05) while that of the gizzards increased significantly (+24 points). The meat protein rate evolved proportionally to the substitution rate, in contrast to the fat rate, which was depreciated by up to -1.08 points for the 30% group compared to the control.Conclusion: The incorporation of prickly pear processing by-products into broiler feed at rates of 10% and 20% improves zootechnical performance, carcass yields, and the chemical composition of the meat.