• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.279-285
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• 2014

The study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary Zizyphus jujuba seed meal on broiler performance, small intestine and cecal length, gizzard weight and fecal gas emission. A total of 180 day-old broiler chicks (Ross) were randomly divided into 4 groups, fed the commercial diet containing 0, 0.3 (T1), 0.6 (T2) and 0.9 % (T3) of Zizyphus jujuba seed meal from two to 5 weeks of age. Body weight gain and feed efficiency (feed/gain) were significantly increase in T2 than other groups at 3 weeks age (P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in body weight gain and feed efficiency (feed/gain) by feeding Zizyphus jujuba seed meal, although they tended to be improved by treatment during whole experimental period (5 weeks age). The gizzard weights of three treatment groups were higher than control. But no difference among three treatment groups was observed. The small intestine and cecal length was no change by feeding Zizyphus jujuba seed meal. Emission of $NH_3$ and VFA gas from excreta were significantly decreased from 5 to 10 days of storage period (P<0.05). In conclusion, the results of this study showed that the addition of Zizyphus jujuba seed meal at 0.3 to 0.6 % to the diet has increased digestibility of feed and the reduction of $NH_3$ emissions from feces, there was a possibility of improvement in body weight gain of broiler chickens.