Studies on feeding peanut meal as a protein source for broiler chickens

Four experiments were conducted to compare the performance of broilers fed soybean meal (SBM) versus peanut meal (PNM) as protein sources. Ross x Ross 208 broiler chickens were placed in battery brooders (Experiments 1 to 3, four replicates of 8 chicks per treatment) and floor pens (Experiment 4, fo ur replicates of 34 chicks per treatment). In Experiment 1, addition of 0, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3% Thr to a corn-PNM-based diet increased 0 to 18 d BW gain (BWG; 0.374(c) vs. 0.495(b) vs. 0.508(b) vs. 0.508b kg, respectively) and decreased feed conversion ratio (FCR; 2.09(c) vs. 1.63(b) vs. 1.54(b) vs. 1 .54(b) g/g, respectively) compared to the corn-SBM-based control diet (BWG = 0.593(a) and FCR = 1.36(a)). In Experiment 2, diets were formulated with the same amino acid minimums, and as the percentage of PNM increased in the diets (0, 10, 20, and 32%), BWG decreased (0.560(a) vs. 0.532(a) vs. 0.521 (a) vs. 0.458(b) kg, respectively) and FCR increased (1.72(b) vs. 1.71(b) v s. 1.79(bc) vs. 1.86(c) g/g, respectively). In Experiment 3, addition of Th r to a corn-PNM-based diet increased BWG (-Thr = 0.284(c) vs. +Thr = 0.397( b) Kg) and decreased FCR (-Thr = 1.60(b) vs. +Thr = 1.54(b) g/g). The BWG a nd FCR were best for the corn-SBM-based control diet (0.499(a) kg and 1.38( a) g/g, respectively). In Experiment 4, during the growing period (18 to 42 d), significant interactions occurred between protein source (PNM vs. SBM) and protein level (16 and 20% vs. 24%) for BW and FCR but not for carcass, breast, or leg quarter yield or fat pad weights (P < 0.05) at 42 d of age. Technical (not economic) performance of birds fed PNM was similar to SBM a t the highest protein levels fed. PNM could be used as a protein source for broilers under appropriate economic conditions.