MAIZE /SORGHUM - BASED DRIED BREWERS' GRAINS IN BROILER FINISHER DIETS

Abstract

A 4- - day feeding trial was conducted to dermine the optianal substitution level of maize/sorghum - hased dried brewers' grains (MSDBG) for maize in broiler finisher diets. Six experimental broiler finisher diets were formulated such that 25%, 50% and 75% of the maize in diet 1 (the control) were replaced with MSDBG in diets 2, 3, and 4, respectively while diets 5 and 6 were like 3 and 4, respectievly but fortified with 4% palm oil,. Each diet was fed to a group of 48 broiler chicks for 40 days (week 4 to week 10 of age). There were no significant (P > 0.05) differences among the groups in growth rate (43,95, 45,52, 45,11, 43,01, 45,80 and 43,92g/day, respectively). At replacement levels of 50% and 75% with or without palm oil, the birds consumed significantly (P < 0.05) more feed than the group on the control diet (140.0, 151.4, 177.3, 174. 6, 174.2, 167.1 g/day, respectively). feed conversion ratio of the MSDRG groups was consequently sigificantly (P < 0.05) inferior to the control. Addition of palm oil did not produce any notiocable effect on te performance of the birds. Feed cost for production of a kilogram of brioler was markedly reduced at the 75% replacement level.