REPLACEMENT VALUE OF BLUE-GREEN-ALGA (SPIRULINA-PLATENSIS) FOR FISH-MEAL AND A VITAMIN-MINERAL PREMIX FOR BROILER CHICKS

1. The effect of sun-dried Spirulina platens in poultry diets was stud ied in a 12-week feeding trial by replacing either fishmeal (FM) or gr oundnut cake (GC) in a commercial diet with algae at isonitrogenous co ncentrations of 140 g/kg and 170 g/kg respectively. Additional vitamin s/minerals were omitted from the algal diets because Spimlina is rich in them. 2. Efficiency of food utilisation, protein efficiency ratio a nd dressing percentage indicated that substitution of FM or GC by alga did not affect the performance of broilers. 3. None of the diets affe cted the weights, compositions and histopathology of the various organ s of the chicks. 4. Meat quality remained unchanged except for a more intense colour in the case of birds fed on the alga-containing diets.