A note on the use of breadfruit meal (Artocarpus incisus) as a feed ingredient for broiler chickens

Breadfruit meal (BFM) (Artocarpus incisus) was evaluated as a poultry feed ingredient in a pilot study. Diets containing 0, 25, 50 and 75 g BFM kg(-1) were fed, ad libitum, to 240 day-old broiler chickens for a period of 8 weeks. Birds had free access to water, Performance criteria studied included feed intake, growth rate, efficiency of feed utilization, mortality, carcass and blood parameters. The concentration of BFM in the diet had significant negative influence on feed consumption (r=-0.96). Breadfruit meal at 25 and 50 g kg(-1) slightly improved the growth and feed utilization of broilers. At 75 g kg(-1) diet, BFM depressed weight gain although not significantly, but feed utilization was similar as in the control group. The level of BFM had no significant impact on carcass yield, mortality, or blood parameters. The kidney, heart, liver and gizzard weights of broilers were also unaffected by the addition of BFM in diets. Breadfruit meal could be included in broiler chickens' diet at concentrations up to 50 g kg(-1) without an adverse effect on performance.