DISCUSSIONS: FEED INGREDIENTS IN POULTRY | ROOT AND TUBERS | FOOD SCIENCE

There are number of factors (nutrient content, particle size, palatability etc) influencing growth rate of broiler birds. Studies have shown that broiler gained more weight with increased energy level and had significantly improved feed conversion. If there is protein deficiency in the feed then it results in reduced feed consumption and loss of body weight in adult birds (Coon, 2001). Broilers are normally fed pelleted feed throughout the growing cycle (Lacy, 2001), chicks are provided pelleted feed that has been crumbled so that it is in pieces small enough for the birds, to consume easily.

              However, both commercial and home made feed were in the form of crumbs and there was no trace of pellets. Physically commercial feed contained more crumbs than home made feed which was mainly dominated by fine small crumbs and powdery form. With better crude protein content and appropriate crumb size seen in commercial feed, it is clear that growth rate is better in commercially fed birds as compared to home made fed birds.


             There were significant (P<0.05) difference weight gain-birds on commercial diet had total weight gain of 2657.5g while those in home made feed (T had 1905.0g. This is an indication that birds on (treatment 1) performed better in weight than those in (treatment II). It could be attributed to low energy and protein in the home made feed which resulted to lower body weights and the anti-nutritional factors which can be found in home made feed (Coon 2001).
            The cost of feed is the major investment incurred in poultry farming business, and this must attempt at faster growth of broilers with excellent feed conversion ratio (FCR). In general, it is said that most efficient poultry farmers are producing broilers averaging. 1.45kg to 1.5kg at six weeks with average feed conversion ratio of 2.0, and mortality less than 2.5% (Saxena, 1999).
            The FCR calculated for commercially fed birds was 2.56 and home made fed birds 3.48. In other words, amount of feed eaten by birds in treatment 1 to gain 1 kg of live weight was 2.56, while birds in treatment II had to eat 3.48kg of feed to gain 1kg live weight. This suggests that animals that have low FCR are considered efficient users of feed. In fact, FCR was better than the standard value suggested by Saxena (1999). The ideal environmental temperature, good housing conditions (air quality, litter management) and aflatoxin free feeds may have been the reasons for good feed efficiency.
            Since two categories of feeds were used, FCR alone cannot reveal the efficiency of feed. It is also important to calculate the cost effectiveness of feed used.
         There were no significance (p>0.05) effects on the cost/kg weight gain and cost-benefit ratio. Significant (p. <0.05) difference was observed on the cost/kg feed intake. Birds on commercial feed had higher value (#747.45) while birds on home made had lower value (#510.28). From the above, it could be noticed that birds on commercial feed consumed more feed thereby making the cost/feed intake high, unlike birds on home made feed that ate less feed.
          There was significant (p<0.05) difference on the cost. The cost implication of birds on commercial feed was higher than that of home made feed. It could be noticed that the cost of home made feed was cheaper, because it is cheap and readily available unlike the conventional feed (commercial feed) which are costly.
           There was significant (p<0.05) effects on the revenue. Birds on commercial feed made revenue of #5366.68 while those on home made feed made revenue of #3881.26.
This could be attributed to much cash realized from sales per bird on treatment 1 to sales from birds on treatment II. Birds on home made feeds had lower weights therefore had less price compared to birds on treatment I that had higher weight which attracted higher price in the market.
          Since the revenue realized from the birds on treatment I was higher than the revenue realized from the birds on treatment 11, it goes  to say that higher benefit were realized form birds on treatment I to those on treatment 11

CONCLUSION
            The performance of broilers fed with commercial feed was better than the home made feed. It was justifiable for private broiler farms or any other broiler farms to use commercial feed. However, this experiment does not indicate that homemade feed is a poor quality feed. In fact, it has achieved 2.0kg live weight and this is highly acceptable market live weight at 56 days. To further improve the home made feed, the study recommends the following:
·        There is need to increase CP content of home made broiler starter feed (at least up to    23% cp)
·        Physical form (particle size) of feed needs improvement if home made feed is to attract customers within and outside Nigeria. Studies have shown that feeding pellets made into crumbs as starter diet, and pellets as finisher diet significantly increases live weight and improves feed efficiency (Yule, 1974; Saxena, 1999; coon 2001)
·        To further substantiate this experiment, similar studies with adequate treatment and replicates either by the feed mills or by relevant institutions within the university would be extremely useful.

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