LAUSR

A experiment was conducted to evaluate the substitution of the crude protein from the ration for the protein from crambe (Crambe abyssinica) meal on the performance of broilers in starter phase (eight to 21 days). A total of 420 male chicks of the Cobb strain were used, distributed in a completely randomized design, with five treatments and four replications of 21 broilers each. The experimental treatments consisted of a control diet without the crambe meal and other substitution of protein from ration for crude protein from crambe meal in levels of 5, 10, 15 and 20%. There was no significant effect for the feed conversion of the chickens, however, there was a decreasing linear effect for feed intake and weight gain of the birds, to the extent that crambe protein replaced the protein ration. A Reduction in the feed intake at 10, 15 and 20% levels of protein substitution was observed. For the weight gain, the lowest values observed were for the 15 and 20% replacement levels, whereas the levels of 5 and 10% did not differ in relation to the control treatment. Therefore, it can be recommended to replace the crambe meal in the feed level of 10% without negatively influencing the weight gain of broilers.