The effect of physical forms of feed and time regimes of feeding on the growth performance and nutrient digestibility of broiler chickens

摘要

Two hundred and seventy (270) day-old Arbor-acre broiler chicks randomly distributed over 2 dietary treatments (mash and pellet) and 2-time regimes (06.00 -14.00 h and 10.00 - 18.00 h) in a 2 x 2 factorial experiment were used for the feeding trial which evaluated the performance responses of broiler chickens. The starter mash diets were control Tl (MCDS), and time regimes of 06.00-14.00 h T2 (MRS06.00-14.00 h) and T3 (MRS10.00 - 18.00 h), starter pellet diets which were control T4 (PCDS) and time regimes of06.00 - 14.00 h for T5 (PRS06.00-I4.00 h) and 10.00 -18.00 h for T6 (PRS10.00-18.00 h). This gave six (6) treatments in all replicated thrice and contained 15 birds each. During the finisher phase, the time regimes were readjusted to allow half of the treatment group to ad libitum feedingto give T9 (MRS06.00-14.00 Fad) and T10 (MRS10.00-18.00Fad) while the other half of the group was maintained on the restriction period from the starter phase to give 2x2x2 factorial arrangements of 8 treatment groups replicated 3 times and each contained 7 birds. Growth performance indices monitored were, average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily body weight gained (ADWG), final live weight gain (FLW), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER). Apparent nutrient digestibility for dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE) and carbohydrate were determined between 21-27 days and 49- 56 days of the starter and finisher phases, respectively. Each phase lasted 28 days, Results at the starter phase indicated that the main effect of feed form was only significantly (p0.05) apparent digestibility of nutrients at the starter phase but birds fed pellet feed consistently recorded higher (p<0.05) values at the finisher phase. At the starter and finisher phases, interactive effect of the feed form x time regimes for feed restriction had consistent significant highest values (p<0.05) for FLW, FCR, PER and water intake for birds fed pellet control diet (PCDS). However, at the finisher phase, the ADFI was highest (p<0.05) for birds on mash control diet and similar to the intake of treatments T9 and T10. Birds fed pellet feed gave better performance than thoseon mash.