Abstract

The growing global demand for poultry meat has intensified the search for sustainable and affordable feed ingredients that support high productivity without compromising bird health. Groundnut cake (GNC), a nutrient-dense by-product of peanut oil extraction, represents a promising alternative to conventional soybean meal. This study investigated the effects of partially replacing soybean meal with 10% and 15% GNC on broiler growth performance, carcass traits, gut morphology, liver integrity, blood biochemistry, oxidative status, microbiota, and immune response.
Broilers were fed one of three diets: a soybean-based control, GNC10%, or GNC15%. Although early growth favored the control group, final body weight, total weight gain, and daily gain were comparable among treatments. Notably, birds receiving GNC10% and GNC15% exhibited significantly improved feed conversion ratios (p < 0.001), with the GNC10% group achieving the highest production efficiency.
Intestinal histomorphometry revealed marked enhancements in villus height and crypt depth at a 10% inclusion rate, suggesting superior absorptive capacity and gut development. However, increasing GNC levels induced dose-dependent hepatic alterations, with more pronounced lesions at a 15% dose. GNC supplementation improved lipid metabolism by significantly reducing cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and VLDL levels. However, oxidative stress markers indicated a reduced antioxidant capacity and elevated lipid peroxidation with higher GNC inclusion. Microbiological analysis revealed a notable reduction in Clostridia counts at 15% GNC, and NDV antibody titers remained unaffected.
Conclusively, a 10% GNC inclusion level emerged as the optimal level, enhancing feed efficiency, gut morphology, and lipid profile without impairing immunity or carcass yield. These findings highlight groundnut cake as a viable and sustainable partial replacement for soybean meal in broiler nutrition.

Key words: Groundnut Cake, Broiler Performance, Oxidative Status, Immune Response, Sustainable Poultry Nutrition