Effects of Copra Meal Fermented by Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma spp on Performance of Broiler

Abstract

Inclusion of copra meal in the diet could impair the performance of birds due to its physical and nutritional problems. Improving feed quality by fermentation has long been believed. An experiment was conducted to examine the effects copra meal (CM) fermented by Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma spp on bird performance. One hundred twenty six day old unsexed Cobb chicks were used in this study. The birds were fed seven different diets (0% CM, 10% CM, 10% CM supplemented with 1% Aspergillus niger fermented CM, 10% CM supplemented with 1% Trichoderma fermented CM, 30% CM diet, 30% CM supplemented with 1% Aspergillus niger fermented CM, 30% CM supplemented with 1% Trichoderma fermented CM. Feed and water were available at all times. A completely randomised design was applied in this experiment with seven treatments and three replicate cages. Data indicated that body weight gain of birds fed the supplemented CM diet with 1% fermented CM tended to be higher than those of birds fed the un supplemented CM diet. This trend became evident when the birds fed 30% copra meal diet. The birds fed 30% copra meal diet supplemented with 1% Trichoderma fermented CM had higher body weight gain than those of birds fed the un supplemented 30% CM diet (1711 gram vs 1421 gram). Feed conversion ratio of bird fed 30% CM was also affected by fermentation with Trichoderma spp. Feed consumption was not affected by addition of copra meal diet with 1% fermented CM. Fermentation of copra meal with Trichoderma spp could improve the performance of bird in a diet containing 30% copra meal.