PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS EVALUATION OF BROILER CHICKENS FED DIFFERENT COMMERCIAL DIETS

Abstract

An experiment was carried out to determine the performance and carcass indices of broiler chickens fed five selected commercial diets. Three hundred day-old chicks were randomly allotted to five diets, A, B, C, D, E in replicates of three containing 20 birds each in a completely randomized design. Feed and water were supplied ad libitum and the trial lasted for six weeks. Results for performance showed no significant (P>0.05) influence of diet on final weight which ranged from 1695.96g on diet D to 1884.49g on diet B., total weight gain from 1546.95g – 1729.41g on diets D and B respectively. However, daily feed was higher (P<0.05) on diets A (103.00g), D (101.79g), E (100.18g) and B (96.06g) which were the same and lower on C (85.21g). Daily weight gain was significantly higher (P<0.05) in birds fed diets B (47.70g), A (47.01g) and E (45.77g) which were the same and similar to those on diet D (42.67g). Birds on diet C (38.69g) had lower daily weight gain which was comparable to those on D. Feed conversion ratio was better on diet B (2.03) which compared favourably with those on other diets (2.14 – 2.38) except those on C (2.42) which had a poorer value of FCR. Carcass evaluation showed that diet D gave the highest (P<0.05) dressing percentage (76.72 %). It was therefore concluded that diet D, is nutritional more balanced and hence recommended for broiler chicken farmers.