GROWTH PATTERN OF BROILER CHICKENS FED UNTREATED AND ENZYME TREATED FEATHER MEAL BASED DIETS

Abstract

The experiment was carried out to investigate the growth pattern of broiler chickens fed untreated and keratinase enzyme treated feather meal based diets. A single phase experiment with an iso-nitrogenous diet of 22% CP and iso-caloric diet of 3100 ME kcal/kg was adopted. A total of one thousand and fifty (1050) Ross 308 broiler chickens were used for the experiment. In a completely randomized design, the birds were randomly allotted into seven dietary treatments and six replicates with twenty five birds per replicate: T1: diet without feather meal (control), T2: (diet containing 8% untreated feather meal), T3: (diet containing 16% untreated feather meal), T4: (diet containing 24% untreated feather meal), T5: (diet containing 8% treated feather meal), T6: (diet containing 16% treated feather meal), T7: (diet containing 24% treated feather meal). The experiment lasted for eight weeks and data was collected on weekly growth performance. The results showed that there were significant (P<0.05) differences in the weekly growth of birds across the seven dietary treatments. Treatment six had the highest value (2113.30g) while treatment one had the lowest (1935.70g). Birds fed treated feather meal based diet performed better than those fed untreated feather meal based diet and also, birds fed untreated feather meal based diet performed better than the control (0% feather meal). In conclusion, feather meal could be used up to 24% inclusion (nutrient for nutrient) substitution for conventional protein feeding stuffs in broiler chicken production without any adverse effect on growth performance.