Influence of Different Levels of Sunflower Cake (Helianthus annus L.) on Body Measurement and Carcass Traits of Broiler Chicks

Effect of substitution of groundnut cake (GNC) with de-oiled sunflower cake (DSFC) on body measurement and carcass traits on 250 day-old broiler chicks was investigated. The chicks were randomly divided into 5 groups with 50 chicks in each group. The GNC was replaced by DSFC at o(T1), 25 (T), 50 (T3), 75 (T4) and 100 (Ts) per cent level, which corresponded to 0, 7.5, 15,22.5 and 30 per cent of the total diet in iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous. The body measurement traits like keel length and shank length did not differ significantly and the values in groups ~ to Ts were 8.22±0.29, 8.33±0.33, 8.49±0.08, 8.19±0.35, 8.11±0.36 em and 7.32±0.32, 7.39±0.29 7.77±0.19, 7.34±0.36, 7.24±0.35 em, respectively. The carcass traits like dressed weight (%) and eviscerated weight (%) were also did not vary significantly among groups, which resulted in lowest cost of production in T3 group. The mortality (%) during 6 weeks of experimental period was 6.0, 8.0,0.0, 10.0 and 10.0 in groups T[to Ts' respectively. Itwas concluded that the GNC can be replaced up to 50% with DSFC for economic broiler production without any harmful effect on broiler chicks.