A trial was carried out to evaluate the effect of sunflower meal inclusion in the broiler diets on the performance, carcass yield and cuts and the economics viability. A randomized block experimental design was used, with five treatments and eight replications of 20 birds per experimental unit. Treatments consisted of including 0, 5, 10, 15, or 20% sunflower meal in a basal diet. Birds and diets were weighed at the beginning and at the end of each experimental phase (1 to 21 days and 22 to 42 days) to determine feed intake, weight gain, and the feed:gain ratio. Two birds per replication were slaughtered at 42 days of age for carcass evaluation. Feed intake was linearly reduced in the starter phase (y = 1185.1 - 2.1x; R² = 0.97), with sunflower meal inclusion in the basal diet, and the feed:gain ratio linearly improved in the total period (y = 1.6404 - 0.0018x; R² = 0.62), whereas a quadratic effect on the feed:gain ratio was observed in the starter phase (y = 1.3943 - 0.0069x + 0.0002x²; R² = 0.96). No significant differences were observed for carcass yield and cuts. The best economic performances were achieved when the birds were fed diets containing 5% sunflower meal in the starter phase, and 0% in the grower phase and total period. The inclusion of 20% sunflower meal in the diet of broilers up to 42 days of age did not show harmful effects on performance.
alternative feedstuffs; carcass; poultry production
