Growth Performance, Carcass Yield and Cost Implications of Broilers Fed with Spent Grain and Enzyme Supplemented Diets

Abstract

Purpose: This study was aimed at investigating growth performance, carcass characteristics and cost of feed consumption of broilers fed with enzyme fortified diet containing high fibre content.

Methodology: One hundred and forty-four broilers of 7 d old were randomly assigned into nine treatments (SN1 to SN9) with each treatment replicated twice at 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.

Findings: Results obtained proved that DFI, FW, WG, FCR and FC were affected (p < 0.05) in starter and finisher birds across treatments. Carcass traits (CW, TW, SW, WW, LW and HW) of finisher broilers were also affected (p < 0.05) in all treatments. Starter broilers fed SN3 diet had the best growth traits of the highest (p < 0.05) FW (1300.50 g) and WG (1149.58 g) value and 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 performance and carcass yield at the lowest FC value of N362.50, while finisher broilers in treatment SN3 had the highest (p < 0.5) value of each carcass traits investigated.

Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: In conclusion, SN3 starter diet and SN6 finisher diet are therefore recommended to farmers because the diets showed better growth performance of broilers at low cost of feed consumption and SN6 diet showed good carcass traits of finisher broilers.