RESPONSE OF BROILER CHICKENS TO DIETARY LEVELS OF SORGHUM MILLING RESIDUE

Abstract

The study was aimed at investigating the response of broiler chickens to varying dietary levels of sorghum milling residue (SMR) as a cost-effective alternative in poultry feed. Five experimental diets (A to E) were formulated with SMR at levels of 0, 10, 15, 20, and 25%. Performance characteristics namely; daily feed intake, daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and cost-benefit analysis were evaluated over a 63-day feeding period. The results indicated that there were no significant
differences (p >0.05) in productive performance, mortality rates, and feed intake among the different dietary groups during the starter and finisher phases. However, there were notable differences in the feed conversion ratio during the finisher phase, with diet D (20% SMR) showing the most favorable ratio. Cost-benefit analysis revealed potential economic advantages, with diet D demonstrating the lowest feed cost per kilogram of weight gain, indicating cost savings compared to other diets. The percentage of cost savings further emphasized the economic benefits of incorporating SMR into broiler chicken diets. In conclusion, the study suggests that sorghum milling residue can be a viable and cost-effective substitute in broiler chicken diets, particularly at the 20% inclusion level. Further research and field trials are recommended to validate these findings and optimize the use of sorghum milling residue in commercial poultry production.