Impact of Unfermented and Fermented Palm Copra Cake on Broiler Chickens: Growth Performance, Digestibility, Biochemical Indices, Digestive Enzyme Activity, and Nutrient Transporter Gene Expression

Abstract An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of the incorporation of unfermented or fermented palm kernel cake in broiler chickens’ diet. A total of 240 broiler chickens (1-day-old) were divided into 4 groups, with 6 replications in each group and 10 broiler chicks in each replicate. In the control group, broiler chickens consumed the basal diet, while in the other 3 groups, they consumed the basal diet with 10% substitution of either unfermented (PKC) or fermented palm kernel cake (LPKC). In the last group, 20% of the basal diet was substituted with fermented palm kernel cake (MPKC). The experiment period was 42 days, and the fermentation process lasted for 48 hours at pH 4.8 and 37°C in an incubator. Palm kernel cake was fermented using a combination of Lactobacillus plantarum medium LY19 and Bacillus natto NDI, along with acid protease at 250 U/g, cellulase at 160 U/g, and mannanylanase at 45 U/g. The results showed that there was no significant difference in broiler chickens’ body weight, feed intake, average daily weight gain, average feed intake, or feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05) compared to the control group. By incorporating fermented palm kernel cake, the digestibility of crude protein, gross energy, digestive organ development, crude fiber, and the activities of lactase and trypsin enzymes could be better than in the control group (P < 0.05). Feeding broiler chickens with PKC, LPKC, or MPKC did not show any negative effects on their lives, and these 3 formulas should be suggested to farmers.