Performance and Serum Biochemistry of Broiler Birds Fed Egg Shell Meal and Bone Meal Inclusions

Abstract

Ninety six (96) day old chicks, randomly allocated into four treatments with 3 replicates each containing eight birds were used for a 5-week feeding trail to evaluate the performance and serum biochemistry of broiler birds fed eggshell meal (ESM) and bone meal (BM). Four experimental diets T₁ (control diet), T₂, T₃ andT₄ containing 3.00%BM, 0.00%ESM, 2.00% BM,1.00%ESM,1.00%BM, 2.00%ESM, 0.00%BM and 3.00% ESM respectively, were formulated for both starter and the finisher diets. Completely Randomized Design was used and data obtained were subjected to ANOVA and significant means were separated using Least Significant Difference. At the starter phase, apart from Feed conversion ratio (FCR) and feed cost per kg gain, all other parameters were not significantly affected. Treatments 1 and 2 were significantly similar and higher than T₃ and T₄. All the parameters analysed at the finisher phase apart from initial weight and cost benefit ratio were significantly affected by the experimental diets. T₁ was significantly higher than the other treatments for final weight, weight gain, feed conversion ratio and feed cost per kg gain. None of the serum parameters analysed was significantly affected by the experimental diets. Treatments 2 and 1 are recommended since T₂ and T₁ had the best performance at starter and finisher phases respectively. The use of egg shell meal in place of bone meal is therefore advised since it is free and can replace bone meal in broiler diet.