| Livestock Research for Rural Development 32 (6) 2020 | LRRD Search | LRRD Misssion | Guide for preparation of papers | LRRD Newsletter | Citation of this paper |
A feeding trial was carried out to assess the effects of dietary replacement of palm oil by Shea butter on the performance of broiler chicken. The five diets based on maize and soybean had the palm oil level of 2.2% replaced 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% by Shea butter. One day-old broilers (commercial strain; n =250) were allocated to 5 dietary treatments replicated 5 times (10 birds/treatment/replicate) in a completely randomized design. Feed and water were served ad-libitum during a 49 day trial.
There were linear increases in feed intake and live weight gain, and a curvilinear improvement in feed conversion as the Shea butter replaced the palm oil. The packed cell volume, red blood cells and haemoglobin concentration of the birds were stable across the dietary treatments. It is concluded that Shea butter can replace palm oil in the broiler chicken diet with 17% increase in growth rate and 10% better feed conversion. Thus, Shea butter, as well as being comparable in energy value to palm oil, appears to offer additional benefits as a feed additive.
Key words: alternate growth, feed additive, haemogram, poultry
It is of increasing importance to intensify the search for alternative energy sources that are not in conflict with biodiversity and the need to reduce global heating. One of the interesting agroforestry species in Africa, particularly Nigeria, is the “Shea butter” tree ( Butyrospermum paradoxum). The tree (Photo 1) produces fruits that are cherished and eaten by humans and animals; the nuts from this fruit are processed to give Shea butter while the residue or by-product is the “Shea butter cake” (Dei et al 2008).
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| Photo 1. Shea butter tree, Shea butternuts and Shea butter |
Shea butter was reported as a suitable base for topical medicine for relieving joint pain, healing wounds, bruises, swellings and related skin problems (Akihisa et al 2010). Shea butter has good penetrative properties, and anti-inflammatory and healing effects on the skin because of its high proportion of unsaponifiable compounds such as allantoin, which consists of 60-70% triterpene alcohols (Akihisa et al 2010).
The Shea butter has been identified as an oilseed product that is rich in fats and oils. Shea butter was also reported to contain phenolic compounds and phenolic profiles similar to green tea and olive oil, which implies it has antioxidant properties (Honfo et al 2014). Shea butter was also found to contain high levels of tocopherol constituents (Honfo et al 2014). Both tocopherol and polyphenols have antioxidant properties and antioxidant-rich foods can contribute to the prevention of oxidation in animal cells and hence of some degenerative diseases (Honfo et al 2014). These antioxidants are also known as free radical scavenging substances which can also enhance growth performance (Yuan et al 2007; Oloruntola et al 2018). α-tocopherol is one fat-soluble vitamin E compounds that cannot be synthesized by animal cells and must be obtained from plant sources through the diet (Kornsteiner et al 2005).
For these reasons it is postulated that Shea butter inclusion in diets of broiler chickens could be of benefit as a source of energy and of anti-oxidants.Therefore, this study aimed at investigating the effects of replacing vegetable oil with varying proportions of Shea butter on the growth response and hemogram of broiler chickens.
Experimental site and preparation of test ingredient
This study was conducted at the Poultry Unit of the Teaching and Research Farm, Federal College of Agriculture, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. The Shea butter used was obtained from the local market in Ede, Osun State, Nigeria and was melted on a kerosene stove before its incorporation into the experimental diets. Other feed ingredients were purchased from a commercial feed miller in Akure, Nigeria.
Five broiler diets (starter and finisher) were formulated according to the nutritional recommendations of NRC (1994), with Shea butter replacing palm oil in 25% increments (ie: 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% of the level of palm oil (Tables 1 and 2).
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Table 1. Composition of broiler starter diets (air-dry basis) |
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|
Ingredients, % |
Shea butter replacing palm oil, % |
|||||
|
0 |
25 |
50 |
75 |
100 |
||
|
Maize |
42.66 |
42.66 |
42.66 |
42.66 |
42.66 |
|
|
Wheat offal |
12.10 |
12.10 |
12.10 |
12.10 |
12.10 |
|
|
Soybean meal |
38.69 |
38.69 |
38.69 |
38.69 |
38.69 |
|
|
Vegetable oil |
2.20 |
1.65 |
1.1 |
0.55 |
0 |
|
|
Shea butter |
0 |
0.55 |
1.1 |
1.65 |
2.20 |
|
|
Bone meal |
1.80 |
1.80 |
1.80 |
1.80 |
1.80 |
|
|
Limestone |
1.40 |
1.40 |
1.40 |
1.40 |
1.40 |
|
|
Premix |
0.30 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
|
|
Methionine |
0.30 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
|
|
Lysine |
0.25 |
0.25 |
0.25 |
0.25 |
0.25 |
|
|
Salt |
0.30 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
|
|
Calculated value, % in DM |
||||||
|
Crude protein |
21.90 |
21.90 |
21.90 |
21.90 |
21.90 |
|
|
Crude fibre |
4.39 |
4.39 |
4.39 |
4.39 |
4.39 |
|
|
Ca |
1.25 |
1.25 |
1.25 |
1.25 |
1.25 |
|
|
P |
0.60 |
0.60 |
0.60 |
0.60 |
0.60 |
|
|
Methionine |
0.63 |
0.63 |
0.63 |
0.63 |
0.63 |
|
|
Lysine |
1.50 |
1.50 |
1.50 |
1.50 |
1.50 |
|
|
Table 2. Gross composition of broiler finisher diets (air-dry basis) |
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|
Ingredients (%) |
Shea butter replacing palm oil, % |
|||||
|
0 |
25 |
50 |
75 |
100 |
||
|
Maize |
48.56 |
48.56 |
48.56 |
48.56 |
48.56 |
|
|
Wheat offal |
10.1 |
10.1 |
10.1 |
10.1 |
10.1 |
|
|
Soybean meal |
34.79 |
34.79 |
34.79 |
34.79 |
34.79 |
|
|
Vegetable oil |
2.3 |
1.72 |
1.15 |
0.58 |
0.00 |
|
|
Shea butter |
0.00 |
0.58 |
1.15 |
1.72 |
2.20 |
|
|
Bone meal |
1.70 |
1.70 |
1.70 |
1.70 |
1.70 |
|
|
Limestone |
1.40 |
1.40 |
1.40 |
1.40 |
1.40 |
|
|
Premix |
0.30 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
|
|
Methionine |
0.30 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
|
|
Lysine |
0.25 |
0.25 |
0.25 |
0.25 |
0.25 |
|
|
Salt |
0.30 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
|
|
Calculated value, % in DM |
||||||
|
Crude protein |
20.47 |
20.47 |
20.47 |
20.47 |
20.47 |
|
|
Crude fibre |
4.09 |
4.09 |
4.09 |
4.09 |
4.09 |
|
|
Calcium |
2.21 |
2.21 |
2.21 |
2.21 |
2.21 |
|
|
Av. P |
0.61 |
0.61 |
0.61 |
0.61 |
0.61 |
|
|
Methionine |
0.62 |
0.62 |
0.62 |
0.62 |
0.62 |
|
|
Lysine |
1.39 |
1.39 |
1.39 |
1.39 |
1.39 |
|
One-day-old broiler chicks (n= 250; commercial strain) were allocated to 5 dietary treatments with 5 replicates (10 birds/replicate) in a completely randomized design. The birds were raised in a deep litter poultry facility using wood shavings as litter. The birds were fed ad libitum and clean water was provided regularly for 42 days.
The chickens were weighed weekly; feed intake was recorded daily.
At the end of the 42 day trial, 5 birds from each replicate were selected randomly, and sacrificed by cutting the jugular vein.. The weights of organs (lung, gizzard, heart, kidney, and liver) and intestinal fat were determined. At slaughter, about 3 ml of blood were collected into EDTA bottles for haematological analysis (Shastry 1983).
Data collected were subjected to a one-way analysis of variance procedure using SPSS version 20 software. The differences among the means were determined using the Duncan multiple range test of the same software.
There were linear increases in feed intake and live weight gain, and a curvilinear improvement in feed conversion as the Shea butter replace palm oil in the diets (Table 3 Figures 1-3).
|
Table 3. Performance of broiler chickens fed Shea butter inclusive diets |
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|
Parameter |
butter replacing palm oil, % |
SEM |
p |
|||||
|
0 |
25 |
50 |
75 |
100 |
||||
|
Initial wt, g |
46.3 |
46.3 |
46.2 |
46.3 |
46.3 |
0.59 |
1.00 |
|
|
Weight gain, g |
48.6c |
51.5bc |
53.4ab |
55.8a |
56.9a |
0.91 |
0.01 |
|
|
Feed intake, g |
116 |
117 |
119 |
122 |
123 |
1.53 |
0.65 |
|
|
Feed coversion |
2.38 |
2.27 |
2.21 |
2.18 |
2.16 |
0.03 |
0.08 |
|
|
a b c Mean within rows without common superscript are different at p<0.05 |
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 |
 |
| Figure 1. Trend in feed intake of broiler chickens fed Shea butter replacing palm oil |
Figure 2. Trend in weight gain
of broiler chickens fed Shea butter replacing palm oil |
 |
|
| Figure 3.
Trend in feed conversion of broiler chickens fed Shea butter replacing palm oil |
|
The carcass trait and internal organ relative weights were not significantly (p>0.05) affected by the Shea butter inclusion except for the kidney (Table 4). The kidney weight of the birds fed the diet with 50% BSF replacement level was higher (p<0.05) compare to those fed the rest diets.
|
Table 4. Carcass trait and relative internal organs (% slaughter live weight) of broiler chickens fed Sher butter replacing palm oil |
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|
Shea butter replacing palm oil, % |
SEM |
p |
||||||
|
0 |
25 |
50 |
75 |
100 |
||||
|
Dressing % |
83.5 |
86.6 |
86.0 |
86.5 |
86.7 |
0.53 |
0.31 |
|
|
Intestinal fat |
1.14 |
0.86 |
0.89 |
1.01 |
1.01 |
0.04 |
0.14 |
|
|
Lungs |
0.48 |
0.47 |
0.49 |
0.54 |
0.55 |
0.01 |
0.29 |
|
|
Gizzard |
2.13 |
2.24 |
2.48 |
2.31 |
2.25 |
0.05 |
0.18 |
|
|
Heart |
0.42 |
0.41 |
0.41 |
0.42 |
0.40 |
0.01 |
0.98 |
|
|
Kidney |
0.45b |
0.52b |
0.63a |
0.51b |
0.49b |
0.02 |
0.01 |
|
|
Liver |
2.61 |
2.49 |
2.72 |
2.61 |
2.61 |
0.03 |
0.10 |
|
|
a b c Mean within rows without common superscript are different at p<0.05 |
||||||||
The packed cell volume, red blood cells and haemoglobin concentration of the birds were not affected by the replacement of palm oil by Shea butter (Table 5).
|
Table 5. Haemogram values in broiler chickens fed Shea butter replacing palm oil |
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|
Parameter |
Shea butter replacing palm oil, % |
SEM |
p |
||||
|
0 |
25 |
50 |
75 |
100 |
|||
|
PCV (%) |
31.2 |
31.8 |
30.5 |
30.3 |
29.8 |
0.40 |
0.62 |
|
RBC (106mm) |
220 |
218 |
207 |
216 |
219 |
2.05 |
0.24 |
|
Hb (mg/dl) |
10.4 |
10.7 |
10.2 |
10.2 |
10.2 |
0.13 |
0.55 |
|
PCV: Packed cell volume; RBC: Red blood cells; Hb: Haemoglobin concentration |
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The improved growth and feed conversion as a result of replacing palm oil with Shea butter could be due to the antioxidant properties of Shea butter as reported by Honfo et al (2014). Antioxidants are known to play a major role in improving the performance of poultry (Biswas et al 2011). Increases in relative weights of organs is reported to be linked to the animals’ response to dietary toxins according to Ayodele et al (2016). The observed stable carcass traits and weights of internal organs, and absence of change in haematological indices, although indicative of normal physiological functions, need to be amplified by more precise studies of the anatomy and physiology of the digestive tract to provide more detailed evidence of potential antioxidant benefits of the Shea butter.
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Received 9 April 2020; Accepted 1 May 2020; Published 1 June 2020