Description of the subject. The productivity of poultry farming is closely linked to the ability to meet the animals’ nutritional needs. This study constitutes a component of a research project that is focused on the enhancement of local poultry production in the Kongo Central region. In the course of this study, an exhaustive evaluation of the practice of raising local chickens in stalls was undertaken. The present analysis concentrated on the impact of diluting balanced feed on improving productivity and reducing feed costs.

Objective. The objective of this work is to study the effects of the dilution of a standard diet with palm kernels, on the growth performance of local chickens and on the feed cost, in order to evaluate the possibility of formalizing the use of this energy and protein source ingredient in the ration of local chickens.

Methods. The chicks intended for the study were reared in breeding batteries made of wood and trellis specially designed for this study. Parameters studied include chemical composition of ingredient and feeds, average feed consumption, average live weight, average weight gain, feed conversion rate and cost of rations.

Results. This study has indeed demonstrated that there could be a real interest in using crushed palm kernels for diluting expensive commercial local chicken rations, in order to reduce poultry breeding cost and better empowering local community small breeders, as an effective poverty reduction strategy and for a better protein nutrition status in rural communities. Palm kernel nutrition composition can be compared to the nutrition content of cereals, rich in energy (palm kernel 418 kcal/100 g; maize: around 390 kcal/100 g) and a content of around 10 % protein (palm kernel 11 % protein; maize: around % 8,1 protein).

Conclusion. This study has demonstrated that one can integrate crushed palm kernels and still achieve acceptable growth rates, at a reduced cost, a strategy that could contribute to increasing the number of locally produced poultry by local poultry breeders, rendering populations more autonomous and contributing to the national food security. Non-extracted palm kernels can be useful for poultry feed, due to their high availability and low market price.