Broiler performance on finisher diets containing different levels of either Pleurotus ostreatus-fermented dried cocoa pod husk or dried cocoa pod husk supplemented with enzymes.

The purpose was to investigate the feeding value of fibrous cocoa pod husk (CPH) either fermented with Pleurotus ostreatus or supplemented with fibre-degrading multi-enzymes (Viscozyme L + Pectinex 5XL) before inclusion in diets for 3-week-old finishing broilers. Growth performance and carcass yield of broilers fed diets containing 100, 200 or 300 g kg(-1) of the P. ostreatus-fermented CPH or 100, 200 or 300 g kg(-1) of the enzyme-supplemented CPH as well as a normal broiler finisher diet (control), were investigated in a 35-day feeding trial setup as a completely randomised design, with the seven treatments replicated three times. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) among treatments for some of the parameters measured including growth-related indices, percent weights of abdominal fat, intestine, and gizzard. It was concluded that P. ostreatus-fermented dried CPH up to a level of 200 g kg(-1) and enzyme-supplemented dried CPH up to a level of 100 g kg(-1) could be included in broiler finisher diets without any deleterious effects.