Effects of Hemp Seed Cake on Growth Performance, Carcass Traits, and Apparent Nutrient Retention

This study explored the potential of hemp seed cake (HSC) as an ingredient in broiler chicken diets. The assessment focused on production performance characteristics, carcass weight, dressing percentage (DP), and apparent nutrient retention to determine the overall impact of HSC on broiler performance. Three hundred male broiler chicks (Ross-308, one day old) were distributed into five groups with different percentages of HSC inclusion: 0% (HSC0), 5% (HSC5), 10% (HSC10), 15% (HSC15), and 20% (HSC20), using a completely randomized design (CRD) over 35 days. Each group comprised six replicates, with 10 chicks per replicate (pen). Feed intake (FI) was markedly elevated in the HSC10 group, but body weight gain (WG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were considerably enhanced in the HSC5 and HSC10 groups relative to the other groups (p<0.05). Carcass weight and DP were significantly higher in the HSC10 group compared with the other groups. The digestibility of dry matter (DM) and crude fiber (CF) was markedly enhanced in the HSC5 and HSC10 groups, whereas organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), and apparent metabolizable energy (AME) were higher in the HSC10 group compared with the other groups (p<0.05). Furthermore, the HSC20 group had the lowest ash content compared with the other groups (p<0.05). These results indicate that the inclusion of HSC at 5-10% can enhance growth performance, carcass weight, dressing percentage, and nutrient digestibility in broilers, and thus is an economically viable protein source for poultry.