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Growth performance and cost benefit of broiler chickens raised on mash and pellet diets accessed at different feeding periods

Obasa¹*. O.A., Oyeleke¹, A.M., Adeyemi¹,O.A., Egbeyale¹, L.T. and Olukomaiya,^1,2 O.O.

¹Department of Animal Production and Health, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria,
²Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Szent Istvan University, Godollo, Hungary

Malaysian J. Anim. Sci. 2017 20(2): 95-103

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A total of 160 7-day old Marshall broiler chickens were used in a 2 x 4 factorial experiment to evaluate the effects of different feed forms and feed access times on growth performance and cost benefits of broiler chickens. The birds were weighed and randomly distributed into 8 treatments with 4 replicates of 5 birds each, subjected to 2 feed forms (mash and pellet) and 4 different feed access time (2, 4, 6 h, ad libitum) for 3 wk. After this period, all birds were returned to ad libitum feeding until 8 wk of age. Data were collected on feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio, mortality, cost of feed consumed and cost per g weight gained. Results indicated that pellet fed birds on ad libitum, 4 and 6 h feed access time recorded higher (P<0.05) weight gain of 1883.50 g, 1851.75 g and 1906.50 g, respectively. For cost benefit analysis, pellets fed birds on ad libitum recorded the highest (P<0.05) cost of feed consumed per bird (N588.74). It was concluded that for a reduced cost of production without compromising growth performance, broiler chickens should be raised on pellet diet and should not be subjected to less than 4 h feed access time for a 3-wk duration out of 8 wk of production.