WEIGHT OF BROILERS FED WITH COMMERCIAL RATION

SUBSTITUTED WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS

OF KAPOK SEED MEAL

JANUARY 2019

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Broiler is any chicken that is bred and raised specifically for eggs and meat production.

Many typical broilers have white feathers and yellowish skin. There are more chickens in this

world than any other birds or domesticated fowl. Human keep chicken primarily as a source of

food (consuming both their meat and eggs) and less commonly as pets. Originally raised for

cockfighting on for special ceremonies chicken were not kept for food until the Hellenistic

period (4th-2nd Centuries B.C)

Broiler are fast growers compared to the livestock. It can be raised just 28 days or less

after reaching 1-kilogram body weight among those animal in farm.

 Kapok (Ceiba pentandra(L) Gaertn) is native to India, Indonesia and the USA and is

mostly cultivated in South-East Asia. It is a large deciduous tree, best known for the fibre

produced by its fruit. It is usually reaches at about 30-40 m but some varieties such as caribae

can reach 70 m (Ecocrop,2011; Ecoport,2011). Kapok has a broad straight trunk and almost

horizontally spreading branches. Trunk and branches are supported by prickly buttresses at the

base (Ecoport, 2011; Orwa et al., 2009) the leaves are compound (5to 8 leaflets) Kapok produces

large quantities of clustered flowers, yellowish white to rese, silky and densely hairy hairy on the

outer surface. The fruit is a long (10-30cm) capsule hanging from branches and contains 120-175

rounded dark known to black seed embedded in mass of grey wolly hairs (floss).

Kapok is a fast growing tree and becomes productive within 4 to 5 years, yields increase

for about 8 years and its economical lifespan is about 60 years. A tree under optional conditions

may yield 330-400 fruits per year giving 15-18 kg fibre and about 30 kg seeds.