1Department of Dairy and Poultry Science, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Khulshi, Chittagong, Bangladesh
2Department of Botany, University of Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh
3Department of Animal Science & Nutrition, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Khulshi, Chittagong; Bangladesh
*Corresponding Author Email: rony745@gmail.com
Online published on 18 April, 2020.
The study was conducted to appraise the quality of broiler feed available in the local market. Feed samples (D1, D2, D3 and D4) were collected from four different feed mills for laboratory analyses and biological trial was conducted with Ross 308 broiler chicks (n=96). All the forms of feed were of identical (crumble) as well as similar management and environment were provided for all the groups. Data on feed intake (FI), body weight (BW), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and liveability were collected. The chemical evaluation of feed data revealed that the quality of most of the compound feeds appeared to be better though significant variation was observed in the nutrient contents of each feeds supplied to the birds. The ME content of most of the feeds were in higher (>3300 Kcal/kg) amount for starter diets. The performance data revealed that FI, BW, FCR and liveability (%) of broilers were similar (P>0.05) between treatment. The FCR of broilers differed (P<0.05) between treatments from 1–7 days of age only, no difference (P>0.05) was observed in FCR of birds from 1–25 days. The results of meat yield traits revealed that except for shank weight, all other remaining meat characteristics (e.g. dressing %, breast weight, thigh weight, giblet weight, wing weight and drumstick weight etc.), were similar (P>0.05) among the treatments. It can be inferred that, broilers grew uniformly fed on different ready-made diets despite the variation of nutrient composition found in the four different feed mills.
Growth, Carcass yield, Nutritive value, Compound diet, Feed mill, Broiler chicken