RESPONSE OF CHICKEN BROILERS TO EARLY GRADED LEVELS DIETARY PROTEIN AND ENERGY
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Date
2018
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Publisher
Journal of Agriculture Research and Development
Abstract
270 day old Arbor Acre broilers of a mixed sex were used to investigate the effects of
different dietary protein and energy levels on performance, nutrient absorption capability
and gut morphology of broilers from 0 14 days of age. Birds were fed diets containing
20, 23, or 25% protein and 3000, 3200 or 3400kcal/kg metabolisable energy using a 3 x 3
factorial design from 0 14 days of age. From 15 28 days all the birds in the
experimental units were fed a standard diet to investigate the residual effects of the early
protein and energy levels. There were significant interactions (P<0.01) between dietary
protein and energy content in feed intake, weight gain and feed/gain ratio (P<0.01). At 20
and 25% protein level, increase in dietary energy levels above 3200kcal/kg resulted in a
significant decrease in feed intake (P<0.01). At 23% protein, feed intake at 3200kcal/kg
was significantly lower than those of birds fed with either 3000 or 3400kcal/kg. At 20, 23
and 25% protein levels, increase in energy content above 3000kcal/kg resulted in a
significant increase in weight gain (P<0.01). At 20 and 25% protein levels, increase in
energy above 3000kcal/kg resulted in a significant decrease in feed to weight ratio
(P<0.01). Significant interaction (P<0.01) also occurred on the residual effect of the
dietary levels of protein and energy earlier fed to the birds on feed intake, weight gain and
feed conversion ratio. At 20% protein level, increase in energy above 3200kcal/kg resulted
in a significant decrease in feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio. At 23%
protein level, the feed intake and feed to gain ratio at 3400kcal/kg were significantly
higher than those of birds earlier fed diets with either 3000 or 3200kcal/kg. 20% dietary
protein level combined with energy content of 3400kcal/kg gave the lowest cost of feed
cost/kg and cost of producing 1kg of the bird compare to dietary level of 25% protein and
energy content of 3000kcal/kg which had the highest cost of feed/1kg and cost of
producing 1kg of the bird. The diet of lower nutrient density (20% of protein level and
3400kcal/kg) showed a better cost effectiveness when express as per kilogramme live
weight.