THE ECONOMICS OF PRODUCTION OF FINISHER BROILER CHICKENS FED VARYING GRITS (Feldspar grit) WITH TIGER NUT RESIDUE BASED DIET

Abstract

An experiment was conducted on the economics of production of finisher broiler chickens fed grit and tiger nut residue based diet.  Ninety (90) 4-week-old birds were used.  They were divided into three treatment of 30 birds and each treatment was replicated three times with 10 birds.  Two experimental diet were formulated with 0% and 20% tiger nut residue inclusion levels.  Before feeding the birds the experimental diet, grit was fed at levels 0g, 4g and 8g per bird per month to birds in T₁ (Control), T₂ and T₃ respectively in a completely randomized design. Data obtained on Economic of production (price of birds at 4 weeks, cost of 1 kg of feed, cost of total feed intake, operational cost, selling price of birds and profit). The results obtained were subjected to ANOVA. There were significant differences (P<0.05) in cost per kg of feed and profit with increased grit level and tiger nut.  Value for cost of production was higher in Treatment 1 (Control).  It was concluded that tiger nut residue can replace maize up to 20% with 8 g grit feeding in broiler finisher.  It is recommended that higher level of grit and tiger nut residue should be studied in finisher broiler.