Growth Performance of Broiler Chickens (Gallus gallus Domesticus) As Influenced By Varying Levels of Golden Apple Snail (Pomacea canaliculata Lamarck) Meat Meal

The increasing interest in alternative livestock feed has been driven by the rising cost of conventional feed and the growing emphasis on agricultural sustainability. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of substituting a portion of a broiler chicken's commercial diet with Golden Apple Snail (Pomacea canaliculata) flesh meal and to evaluate its potential impact on growth performance. A Randomized Completely Block Design (RCBD) was employed, involving four treatments and four replications per treatment, each consisting of two chickens. The treatments were: T0 - 100% commercial mash diet (Control); T1 - 90% commercial mash diet + 10% Golden Apple Snail (GAS) meat meal; T2 - 80% commercial mash diet + 20% GAS meat meal; and T3 - 70% commercial mash diet + 30% GAS meat meal. The results revealed significant differences (p=0.05) in body weight improvement among the treatments that included the GAS meal, with the T2 group (80% commercial mash diet + 20% GAS meat meal) showing particularly significant growth performance (p=0.05). These findings suggest that supplementing 20% of the traditional diet with GAS meat meal can significantly enhance broiler chicken growth performance. Economically, the incorporation of GAS meat meal as a feed component not only provides a cost-effective alternative to traditional feed but also supports more sustainable poultry farming practices. This research contributes to the ongoing exploration of alternative feed sources by highlighting the potential of GAS meat meal as both an economical and sustainable option for poultry diets.