The feeding value of Kenyan sorghum, sunflower seed cake and sesame seed cake for broilers and layers

The feeding value of Kenyan sorghum, sunflower seed cake (SFC) and sesame seed cake (SSC) was studied in an 8 week broiler trial and a 24 week layer trial. In both trials the diets were either white maize (Hb25) or brown sorghum (Serena) based and contained either imported soybean meal (SBM), a combination of SFC and SBM, or SSC as the main protein source. In the broiler trial, mean weekly body weights were significantly higher for chicks fed the maize based diets, starting as early as the second week. At the end of the 8 week trial, however, the difference between the mean body weights for the two groups of broilers was not significantly different (2136 g vs. 2023 g for broilers on the maize and sorghum diets, respectively). Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was not significantly affected by grain type (2.72 vs. 2.76 for broilers on the maize and sorghum diets, respectively). In the last 4 weeks of the broiler trial, mean weekly body weights were significantly higher for chicks fed SSC diets than for those receiving SBM diets. By the end of the 8 week trial the mean body weight of the broilers receiving the SSC diets was 12.1% higher (2212 g vs. 1972 g for broilers receiving the SSC and SBM diets, respectively) than that of the broilers receiving the SBM diets. FCR was significantly lower for chicks receiving the SSC diets (2.52) as compared to those receiving either the SBM or SFC/SBM diet (2.86 and 2.88, respectively). In the layer trial, egg production and feed efficiency were significantly lower for the hens receiving the sorghum based diets (64.7%) as compared to those receiving the maize based diets (70.9%), but average egg weight was not significantly affected by grain type. Egg production, feed efficiency and egg weight were significantly lower for those hens receiving either the SFC/SBM or SSC diet than for those receiving the SBM diets. There was no effect of grain type or protein source on the incidence or severity of yolk mottling.