Effect of differently processed shea butter (Vitellaria paradoxa) cake on growth and haematological parameters of broiler starter chicks

Dietary effects of differently processed Shea Butter Cake (SBC) on growth and haematological parameters of broiler chicks were evaluated in this  study lasting 28 days. Six iso-nitrogenous (23% crude protein) and isocaloric (2871.31kcal/kg metabolizable energy) diets tagged T1, T2, T3, T4 T5 and T6 were compounded such that T1 served as the control , while the remaining treatments had 15% inclusion of the differently processed SBC.  Two hundred and seventy day old chicks were randomly allocated to the six diets and each treatment was replicated 3 times in a completely randomized design. Dietary inclusion of SBC reduced final live weight significantly (P<0.05). Chicks fed T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 had higher final live weights of 223.89 vs. 265.00 vs. 253.33 and 233.33 g/b, respectively than those fed the T6 (226.67 g/b) which however, were lower than the control  (602.22 g/b). Similarly, birds fed T3, T4 and T6 had significantly higher (P<0.05) daily weight gain than those fed the T5 although highest in birds on control (19.90 g/b/d); similar trend was recorded in feed intake and feed cost per kg diet. Birds fed diets T1, T2 and T4 had lower (P<0.05) FCR of 2.01, 2.91 and 2.98, respectively. The RBC increased significantly (P<0.05) in birds fed T4 (2.58 x106/μl) and T5 (2.41 x106/μl) compared to other treatments. Broiler chicken producers can therefore, include up to 15% processed Shea butter cake in the diets of broiler chicks without affecting their growth performance as well as wellbeing. Keywords: Processing, fermentation, boiling, toasting, soaking, Shea butter cake meal, growth rate, haematological parameters and broiler starter chicken