PERFORMANCE OF BROILERS AND LAYERS FED LOCALLY PRODUCED FISH WASTE MEAL IN WESTERN SAMOA

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of broilers and layers fed locally produced fish waste meal (LFWM) in Western Samoa. LFWM, which was produced by mincing and oven drying of rejects from filleted fish, was included in both broiler and layer diets at the complete expense of imported meat and bone meal (MBM). The experiments were of a completely randomised design. In experiment 1, 120 day-old Strabro broiler chicks were raised to 49 days of ages. In experiment 2, 80 Shaver 288 pullets, 20 weeks of age, were housed in pairs in cages and raised up to 72 weeks of age. There were no differences (p > 0.05) in performance of broilers as measured in terms of final bodyweights, feed intake, feed efficiency and carcass yield between the two diets. Similarly, no differences (p > 0.05) existed in egg production, egg weight and feed required per kilogramme of eggs. It is concluded that LFWM is nutritionally as good as imported MBM and could be used to completely replace MBM in broiler and layer diets.