EFFECT OF OUTDOOR AND PASTURE FORAGING ACCESSIBILITY ON PERFORMANCE RESPONSES OF NOILER BIRDS

Abstract

This experiment was carried out to determine the effect of outdoor and pasture foraging accessibility on performance responses of Noiler birds. A total number of 320 Noiler birds were divided into five ( 5) treatments and each treatment were replicated 4 times with 16 birds per replicate. At the end of the brooding phase (2 weeks), the birds were placed in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement (with outdoor durations and pasture accessibility was considered as factors) in a Completely Randomized Designed (CRD). Treatemt1 served as control (without outdoor accessibility), Treatements 2 and 3 with four( 4) hours and eight(8) hours outdoor accessibility without pasture foraging respectively while treatemnts D and E comprised of four (4) and eight (8) hours outdoor accessibility with pasture foraging respectively. The data obtained was subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and the means were separated using Duncan multiple range test (DMRT) of the statistical analysis software package (SAS). The birds in T2 had significantly (P<0.05) higher final weight and weight gain. The result however showed non-significant (P>0.05) differences in initial weight, feed conversion ratio and feed cost per kilogram live weight gain. It is therefore concluded that outdoor and pasture foraging has a profound effect on performance profile of Noiler birds. It is therefore recommended that noiler birds should have access to oudoor facilities with or without pasture foraging for at least 4 hours daily for better growth performance.