Evaluating the effect of feeding starters crumbles on the overall performance of broilers raised for 42 days

oleh: F. Idan, T.N.N. Nortey, C.B. Paulk, R.S. Beyer, C.R. Stark

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Elsevier 2020-09-01

Deskripsi

Summary: The physical form of feed affects the feed consumption and growth rate of broilers. A 42-D experiment was conducted to determine the effects of broiler starter feed form on the growth performance of broilers. A total of nine hundred 1-day-old Cobb 500 male broiler chicks with an average initial BW of 38 g were randomly distributed into 36-floor pens with 25 birds per pen. Pens were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 dietary treatments within a location block to provide 9 pens per treatment. Birds were fed the dietary treatments during the starter phase from day 1 to 21 followed by a common mash diet from day 22 to 42. Dietary treatments were made up of 1) 21 D mash (M); 2) 7 D crumbles followed by 14 D mash (7C); 3) 14 D crumbles followed by 7 D mash (14C), and 4) 21 D crumbles (21C). Overall the BW, average daily gain (ADG), and average daily feed intake (ADFI) were increased (P < 0.001) for the birds fed crumbles compared with those fed the mash diet. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was improved (P < 0.001) for the birds fed crumbles compared with those fed the mash diet. Birds fed 21C were heavier at 21 D and 42 D and had improved (P < 0.001) FCR compared with those fed the other diets. The results of the study suggest that feeding broiler chicks crumbles as opposed to mash diet for a minimum of 7 D improved BW, ADG, ADFI, and FCR.