EVALUATION OF PERFORMANCE INDICES OF LAYERS FED DIETS PREPARED FROM FOUR COMMERCIAL PREMIXES

Abstract

Nowadays, vitamin/mineral supplements for chickens are commercially produced, thus there is a need to evaluate these premixes. Four commercial premixes were coded A, B, C and D and used to formulated four experimental diets at their respective recommended inclusion level. 180 birds were randomly allotted to the four experimental diets with three replicates of fifteen birds each. Parameters considered were initial weight, final weight, weight gain, age at first egg, weight of the first egg, feed intake, average Hen Day Production (HDP), egg weight, Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR), mortality and economy of gain. The results revealed that there were significant (p < 0.05) differences across the treatments for egg production, final weight and feed conversion ratio. Average egg production and final weight of birds fed diet prepared from premix A had the highest values (79.83% and 1.43kg, respectively) while those fed treatment 3 had the lowest values (48.93% and 1.33kg, respectively). FCR of treatment D (2.96) was the lowest (p < 0.05) and significant to 5.58 recorded for treatment 3. Age at first egg, weight of first egg and age at 20% HDP were not significantly (P<0.05) affected by the treatment, however birds fed diet that was prepared with premix C had the poorest values (143days, 40.43g and 160.75days, respectively). Values recorded for premixes A, B and D were similar (p < 0.05). Premixes A, B and D adequately supported egg production as all the performance indices considered were appropriate while premix C did not support egg production optimally.