Maize-Sorghum Based Brewery By-Product as an Energy Substitute in Broiler Starter: Effect on Performance, Carcass Characteristics, Organs and Muscle Growth

摘要

Maize-Sorghum brewers` dried grains (MSBDG) is a by-product of beer production. Proximate composition studies were conducted as a prelude to MSBDG incorporation in broiler starter diet. Four broiler starter diets were formulated such that MSBDG were fed at 0, 10, 20 and 30% inclusion levels at the expense of maize. A batch of 240 starter-chicks was randomly assigned in triplicate to these dietary treatments. Each diet was fed to 60 birds/treatment from day old for 35 days. The final weight, average weight and Nitrogen retention of the chicks fed MSBDG at 10% and 20% dietary levels were similar to those fed the control diet; both being significantly (P = 0.05) higher that those fed diet 4 (30% dietary inclusion). The weight gain, average feed consumption as well as feed efficiency declined in diet 4 (at 30% inclusion level). At the end of the feeding trial, the chicks were sacrificed for carcass characteristics , relative organ and muscle measurements. The relative weights of the heart and belly fat were significantly (P Pectorialis thoracicus was significantly (P P. thoracicus was highest in chicks fed diet 2 (10% MSBDG inclusion level). It was concluded that MSBDG can act as an energy substitute for maize at inclusion levels of about 20% in broiler starter diets without any adverse effect on performance, carcass characteristics and muscle development in broiler chicks.