EFFECT OF GRADED LEVELS OF STONE GRIT ON THE UTILIZATION OF RICE OFFAL BASED DIETS BY BROILER CHICKENS
EFFECT OF GRADED LEVELS OF STONE GRIT ON THE UTILIZATION OF RICE OFFAL BASED DIETS BY BROILER CHICKENS
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Date
2012-10
Authors
Collins, Udagbene IDACHABA
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Abstract
The research was carried out in two phases/stages to evaluate the effect of graded levels of stone
grit with or without enzyme supplementation on the utilization of rice offal based diets by broiler
chickens. In the first phase, three hundred and sixty day old broiler chicks and two hundred and
seventy finishing broiler birds were used at the starter and finisher phases. The birds were reared
on deep litter, in an open sided wire mesh screened poultry house and fed on experimental diets
containing rice offal at 10% and 15% inclusion levels for the starter and finisher phases
respectively. Stone grit was added to this ration at graded levels of 0.0g, 2.0g, 4.0g, 6.0g, 8.0g
and 10.0 grams per bird per month. Each treatment was replicated three times with 20 birds per
replicate at the starter phase and 15 birds per replicate at the finisher phase in a completely
randomized design. Stone grit significantly improved (P<0.05) final body weight, feed intake,
feed conversion ratio and feed cost per kg gain thus indicating improvement in feed utilization.
Total protein (TP) improved with grit addition while packed cell volume (PCV) and
haemoglobin level (Hb) were not significantly affected (P>0.05). Crude protein, Crude fibre and
Nitrogen Free Extract significantly (P<0.05) improved with increasing grit levels. Similarly,
breast, back, thigh, shank, gizzard and dressing percentage improved with grit levels. It was
concluded that stone grit significantly (P<0.05) reduced feed wastage by improving feed
utilization as feed intake significantly (P<0.05) decreased with increasing levels of stone grit
while weight gain, feed to gain ratio, feed cost per kg gain, haematological parameters and
nutrient retention improved across the graded levels of stone grit. In the second phase, three
hundred and twenty four day old broiler chicks and two hundred and seventy finishing broiler
birds were used at the starter and finisher phases respectively. They were fed an experimental
diet that contained rice offal at 10% and 15% inclusion levels at both starter and finisher phases
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respectively however an Enzyme (maxigrain) was added to the diet at 0.01% across all dietary
treatments. Stone grit was also added to this ration at 0.0g, 2.0g, 4.0g, 6.0g, 8.0g and 10.0 grams
per bird per month thus making a total of six treatments. Each treatment was replicated three
times with 18 birds per replicate at the starter phase and 15 birds per replicate at the finisher
phase in a completely randomized design. Final body weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio
and feed cost per kg gain improved (P<0.05) with increasing grit levels. No significant difference
(P>0.05) was observed for PVC, Hb and TP across the graded levels of stone grit. Live weight,
dressed weight, dressing percentage, back, thigh, wing and gizzard measurements significantly
(P<0.05) increased with graded levels of stone grit. Crude protein, Ether Extract and dry matter
significantly (P<0.05) improved with increasing grit levels. Birds fed diets containing stone grit
and enzyme supplementation (phase two) showed a higher final weight compared to birds fed
diets containing stone grit alone (phase one) hence the conclusion that feeding stone grit with
enzyme supplementation is encouraged to enhance higher final weight.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL, AHMADU BELLO
UNIVERSITY, ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR
THE AWARD OF MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN ANIMAL SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SCIENCE, FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE, AHMADU
BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
OCTOBER, 2012
Keywords
EFFECT,, GRADED LEVELS,, STONE GRIT,, UTILIZATION,, RICE,, OFFAL BASED DIETS,, BROILER CHICKENS.