A total number of 540 one - day-old unsexed Arbor Aceres broiler chicks were
used in this study to compare the effect of partially replacing of soybean by - product'
(Okara) or sunflower meal for soy bean meal on broiler pertorrnance,' nutrients
.digestibility and economic efficiency. Birds were distributed randomly and divided
equally into nine experimental groups with three replicates of 20 birds each. Okara or
sunflower meal was used as a substitution of soybean meal at levels of 20 ,40 , 60
and 80 % for each during both growing (1 - 4 weeks of age) and finishing (5 - 7
weeks of age) periods. All experimental diets were compared with the control group,
which formulated without replacing okara or sunflower meal for soybean meal
Accordingly, a total of 9 experimental diets were formulated in this study. Birds were
allocated in a littered floor poultry house in an open system under the same conditions
of management up to 7 weeks of age. During the whole experimented period ( 1 - 7 weeks of age ), feeding graded
levels of okara meal replacing for soybean meal at levels of either 20, 40,60 or 80 %
in broiler diets significantly ( P< 0.05 ) decreased the average values of body weight,
body weight gain and feed intake . While, the feed conversion values were
insignificantly differ with using 20 , 40 or 60 % okara or sunflower meal as replacing
for soybean meal compared to control. Data showed that replacing sunflower meal
for soybean meal at levels of 60 or 80 % in broiler diets significantly ( P <0.05 )
decreased the body weight and body weight gain values. However, the differences
were insiqnificant as replacing sunflower meal for soybean meal at levels of 20 and 40
% compared to control group. There were no significant differences in feed intake
values due to using different levels of sunflower meal as replacing for soybean meal
compared to control. Results showed slight improvement in digestibility of CP and EE
and nitrogen balance ( NB ) with using different levels of okara . While, the use of
sunflower meal significantly ( P<0.05 ) decreased most nutrient digestibility
coefficients specially with high levels of SUbstitution ( 60 or 80 % ). Results indicated
that replacing soybean meal by 60 or 80 % okara or 40% sunflower meal recorded
the best values of economic efficiency.