GROWTH INDICES AND COST IMPLICATION OF BROILERS FED SPENT GRAINAND ENZYME SUPPLEMENTED DIETS

Abstract

This study was aimed at investigating growth indices and cost of feed consumption of broilers fed enzyme fortified diet containing high fibre content. One hundred and forty-four broilers of 7 d old were randomly assigned into nine treatments (SN1 to SN9) with each treatment replicated twice with eight birds per replicate. The experimental design used was a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement involving three levels of enzyme supplementation of 0 g, 0.5 g and 0.8 g per kg diet and three levels of spent grain inclusion of 0%, 6% and 12% in starter’s diet and 0%, 7% and 12% in finisher’s diets. Results obtained proved that DFI, FW, WG, FCR and FC were affected (p < 0.05) in starter and finisher birds across treatments. Starter broilers fed SN3 diet had the best growth indices of the highest (p < 0.05) FW (1300.50 g) and WG (1149.58 g) value at the lowest (p < 0.05) DFI (73.03 g) and FCR (1.98) means. Finisher broilers fed SN3 diet expressed the highest (p < 0.05) FW (3221.54g), WG (1920.54 g) and DFI (177.23 g) means and the lowest (p < 0.05) FCR (2.71) value, while finisher broilers fed SN9 diet had lowest (p < 0.05) DFI value of 148.43 g. However, finisher broilers fed SN6 diet exhibited moderate growth indices at the lowest FC value of N362.50. In conclusion, SN3 starter diet and SN6 finisher diet are therefore recommended to farmers because the diets showed better growth indices at low cost of feed consumption.