Evaluation of unconventional poultry feed in broilers

Abstract

Background: Commercial broiler is a rapidly growing sector in Bangladesh. The broilers are supplied with the balanced ration prepared from a number of ingredients which are not available uniformly throughout the years. On the other hands, manufactured feeds are costly and inconvenient for the rural farmers. This study is undertaken to use unconventional feed ingredients aiming to decrease the broiler production cost. Method: A total of ninety-nine day- old broiler chicks (Hubbard) of either sex were used in this study in 3 treatment groups to assess processed unconventional feed item (shoti, blood meal, poultry dropping and molasses) on growth and profitability upon rearing for 60 days. Broilers were reared in dip litter system and were fed ad libitum on conventional and unconventional diet dividing into 3 treatment diets namely, treatment diet 1 (T1: Conventional as control), treatment diet 2 (T2: unconventional with blood meal and shoti), and treatment diet 3 (T3: unconventional with blood meal, shoti, poultry droppings and molasses) throughout the trial period. Treatment group 1 (T1) was used as control. Results: Broilers fed on control diet (conventional feed) achieved higher (P<0.01) body weight, while the broilers offered diets with the highest amount of unconventional feed had the lowest body weight. Increased (P<0.01) feed intake was observed during 21days and 49 days of age when broilers fed diets with the supplementation, but no significant differences were found among the groups in terms of feed consumption during 33 day of age. FCR differed significantly (P<.01) throughout the trial period with the broilers fed diets without supplementation of unconventional feed item had the superior FCR than the others. Mortality rate was 6.06%,9.09%, and 9.09% in treatment group I, treatment group II, and treatment group III respectively while live weights, feed conversion and feed consumption was unaffected by all the dietary groups with/without incorporation of unconventional feed item up to day 60 days of age. Statistically significant (P<0.01) decreased live weight was observed among the treatment groups in 60-day-old birds. Productivity and cost-benefit analysis were performed. Conclusion: Use of unconventional feed ingredients in broiler production greatly reduces the feed cost with little hampering the growth rate and hence, it is profitable for the farmers.