The effect of feed wetting and fermentation on the performance of broiler chick

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of feed wetting and fermented feed on the performance of broiler chicks. Four experimental diets were used in the study. Diet 1, was a conventional commercial broiler starter feed. Diet 2 was a commercial broiler starter feed in a 1:1.2 dilution with water. Diet 3, was a water diluted commercial feed inoculated with Bactocell? and fermented for 24 hours at 35oC in an incubator. Diet 4 was fermented feed add with 6% copper sulphate solution at the rate of 1ml to 10g of feed, to then incubated for 24 hours. 180 day old Anak 2000 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to the four experimental diets in a completely randomized design (CRD). Each treatment group was replicated four times with 15 birds per replicate. Results showed that feed intake and weight gain were significantly higher (P<0.05) in birds fed fermented feed and non-fermented liquid diets. Birds fed dry feed consumed significantly (P<0.05) more water than those on liquid feed. Birds receiving liquid feed (fermented and non-fermented) showed significantly (P<0.05) superior feed conversion ratio over the group fed dry feed. There was no significant (P>0.05) difference between the birds fed liquid diets in all the response parameters measured. The results also indicated that the treatments had no significant effect on the carcass characteristics of the birds. The results of this experiment showed that feeding fermented and unfermented liquid diets improved the performance of the birds.