PERFORMANCE AND COST BENEFIT OF REPLACING FISH MEAL WITH BLOOD MEAL IN BROILER FINISHER DIETS

Abstract

Fish meal, an ingredient used in poultry feed formulation, is expensive and very often scarce in Nigeria. Consequently, this has contributed in the rising cost of poultry diets. There is therefore a need to identify other available and cheaper alternatives that can substitute fish meal in poultry rations. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the growth performance and financial benefits of finisher broilers fed diets containing blood meal as replacement for fish meal. Five diets were formulated in which blood meal replaced fish meal at 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% levels, designated as diets 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively. Three hundred finisher broiler chickens of the cobb strain weighing between 475.00 and 481.00 g were randomly allotted to five diets in replicates of four containing 15 birds each in a completely randomized design. Feed and water were provided ad libitum and the study lasted for twenty-eight days. Parameters studied include daily feed intake, daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio, mortality, feed cost per kg, feed cost per kg gain and cost saving (N). No significant (P>0.05) difference was observed in daily feed intake (85.52 -90.55 g). However, daily weight gain (22.43 – 28.92 g) was higher (P<0.05) on diets 1 and 3. Similarly, feed conversion ratio (3.10 – 4.04) was better (P<0.05) on diets 1 and 3 and poorer on diet 4. Feed cost per kg was lower on diets containing blood meal (N122.12 – 142.55) compared to diet 1 (N152.52). Feed cost per kg gain was least on diet 4 (N423.23) and highest on diet 2. (N495.90). It was concluded that blood meal can replace fish meal in broiler diets up to 50% level without compromising performance and with a cost saving of N28.35.