Effect of Wet Feeding on Growth of Layer Chicken During Summer

摘要

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of wet feeding on the performance of pullets during summer season. A total of 192 pullets of eight weeks old were randomly distributed into four groups with four replicates per treatment andtwelve birds per replicate. The feed offered to chicks consisted of starter diet (CP=18% and ME = 2750 kcal/kg) up to 8 weeks of age and grower diet (CP= 16% and ME= 2600 kcal/kg) up to 20 weeks of age. From 20 weeks onwards, birds were provided with layer diet (CP=18% and ME=2750 kcal/ kg) up to the end of experiment. Birds in the control group (C) were offered dry feed. Water was mixed with feed @ 700, 800 and 900 ml/kg in treatments T_1, T_2 and T_3, respectively and kept as such for one hour beforeit was offered to birds. The body weights at 33 weeks of age were similar in all the groups. Therefore, wet feeding, during summer season, had no significant effect on growth performance of layer chicken in Kashmir.