Two trials were conducted to investigate the use of dates and date pit
s in broiler rations. The objectives Of Trial I were to re-examine the
effect of using date pits ill broiler finisher diets on growth perfor
mance, and to determine if the positive effect on broiler weight gain
was due to high levels of added fat in the diet or to date pits per se
. In Trial 1, 160 commercial broiler chicks, 21 days old, were divided
randomly into rearing pens, each housing IO chicks. The experimental
treatments consisted of forts different diets with forts replicates ea
ch (40 chicks/treatment). The diets were isonitrogenous (20% CP) and i
socaloric (3.2 Mcal/kg). In Diet 1 (Control-A) no date pits were added
. In Diet 2 (Control-B) no date pits were added, but cellulose was add
ed as a fillet; and the level of corn oil was 8.9%. In Diet 3 date pit
s were added as 10% of the diet and oil was 8.9%. In Diet 4 date pits
treated with sulfuric acid were added as 10% of the diet and oil was 8
.9%. The diets were fed on an ad libitum basis up to 6 weeks of age Du
ring week five, date pits added to Diets 3 and 4 significantly (P < 0.
05) improved the body weight of chicks, compared to those chicks fed t
he control diets. Total body weight gain of chicks fed Diet 3 was sign
ificantly different from those receiving Diets I and 2. The addition o
f treated date pits to the finishing ration (Diet 4) significantly, im
proved the efficiency of feed utilization of birds fed this diet compa
red to chicks fed Diet 2. The objective of Trial 2 was to study, the e
ffect of date pits, whole dates and date fruit in broiler-starter rati
ons on growth performance. In Trial 2, 1 day-old chicks were fed four
different diets. Each diet was fed to four replicate groups of IO chic
ks each. Diet I (Control) was a corn-soybean starter diet; Diets 2, 3
and 4 were corn-soybean diets containing 8% date pits, 10% whole dates
and 10% dare fruit respectively. The addition of date pits and date f
ruit to the diets significantly improved the body weight of chicks fed
these diets compared to chicks fed the control diet after the first 2
weeks of the trial At week I, body weight gain of chicks receiving Di
ets 2 and 4 was significantly higher than that of chicks receiving the
control diet After 4 weeks, total body weight gain of all chicks Il a
s not significantly different Similar trends were observed regarding t
he effect of dietary treatments on the efficiency of feed utilization
(feed/gain); that is, no significant effects were observed. (C) 1998 E
lsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.