Effect of feeding different commercial chick vitamin-mineral premixes at varying inclusion level on performance of pullets chicks

Abstract

A 56-day feeding trial using 1836 day-old dominant brown strain pullet chicks was conducted to assess the effect of feeding different commercial chick vitamin-mineral premixes type at varying levels of dietary inclusion on growth performance, haematological and serum biochemical indices. The birds were divided into 12 groups of 153 birds each and each group was assigned to one of the experimental diets in a3x4factorial arrangement. Each treatment group was further subdivided into 3 replicates of 51 birds each. The birds were fed twelve iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric diets containing three commercial vitamin-mineral premixes types designated as XVM, YVM and ZVM, respectively. Each vitamin type was included at 0.15, 0.25, 0.35 and 0.45%, respectively Feed and water were provided ad libitum. A wide variation in the micronutrients and antioxidants levels exists among the premix type. Feed intake was not significantly (P>0.05) influenced by the dietary treatments. However, final weight, weight gain, feed conversion ratio and cost per gain were significantly (P<0.05) influenced by the premix type and their levels of dietary inclusion. Except for total protein and Haemoglobin, the results showed no significant differences (P>0.05) on the values of all the blood parameters measured. The study suggest the need to be careful in choosing premixes type for chick rearing as some of them may be deficient in some essential vitamins and minerals. It was concluded that the use of YVM premix type at 2.5 kg per tonne (0.25% inclusion level) was cheaper and more efficient in supporting the growth performance of pullet chicks.