NUTRITIONAL-VALUE OF SEAWEED (ULVA-RIGIDA) FOR POULTRY

A study was conducted to establish the nutritive value (true metaboliz able energy (TMEn), apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn) and chick per formance) of seaweed (Ulva rigida),in poultry diets. The proximate com position (kg-1 DM) of seaweed was: 33 g nitrogen, 17 g ether extract, 47 g crude fibre, 312 g NDF, 153 g ADF, 13 g pentosans and 228 g ash. The TMEn value of U. rigida, determined after tube-feeding, was 5.7 MJ kg-1 and 4.3 MJ kg-1 DM for chicks and cockerels (P<0.05), respective ly; the AMEn value, determined by regression using titanium dioxide as an indigestible dietary marker in a chick growth trial fed on diets c ontaining (kg-1) 0, 100, 200 and 300 g seaweed, was 2.9 MJ kg-1 DM. As the content of seaweed was increased, feed intake and growth rate dec reased (P< 0.05). The results of this study showed that crude U. rigid a is not a suitable ingredient for poultry diets, at least at inclusio n rates of 100 g kg-1 or higher; however, seaweed did not have an anti nutritive effect, because the addition of seaweed did not modify the T MEn of the rest of the diet (standard diet or glucose).