Abstract:
The effects of different feeding programs on growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chicks were investigated in the present study. Day old 1200 Ross PM3 commercial broiler chicks were divided into 5 experimental groups (I, II, III, IV and V). Group I birds were fed with starter diet (0-2 weeks) + finisher diet (3-6 weeks) while Group II birds were fed starter diet (0-3 weeks) +finisher diet during last week of growing period (6th week) and Group V birds with starter diet for 6 weeks. Starter diet contained 23 % crude protein (CP) and 3050 Kcal ME kg-1 while finisher diet had 20% CP and 2950 Kcal ME kg-1. At the end of study (42-d), body weights, feed intakes, feed conversion ratios (feed: gain) and mortality rates of five experimental groups (I, II, III, IV and V) were respectively determined as 1883.48, 1958.25, 1887.08 and 1861.0 g (P0.05):1.93,1.901.94,1.92 and 1.82 (P>0.05);6.24,11.70,9.59.11.14 and 5.81% (P>0.05).With respect to the relative abdominal fat weights (ranged 2.97-4.11 %) there was no significant difference between treatments. The present results show that Group II had the best performance to dietary shift (3 weeks starter +3 weeks finisher diet) in comparison to other groups subjected to various feeding programmes.
Page(s):
247-253
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: International Journal of Biology and Biotechnology, Volume: 1, Issue: 2, Year: 2004