TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of different feed restriction regimes during the starter stage on productivity and carcass characteristics of male and female ross 308 broiler chickens
AU - Novel, D. J.
AU - Ng'ambi, J. W.
AU - Norris, D.
AU - Mbajiorgu, C. A.
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of different feed restriction regimes during the starter stage (14-21 days) on productivity and carcass characteristics of male and female Ross 308 chickens. A 3 (feeding levels: ad-libitum intake, 50% ad-libitum intake and 75% ad-libitum intake) x 2 (male and female chickens) factorial arrangement in a complete randomized design was used. Feed restriction affected (p<0.05) live weight of chickens at the age of 21 days and male chickens were heavier (p<0.05) than females at the same age. Chickens on 75% ad libitum feeding attained complete compensation in live weight at 42 days of age while those on 50% ad libitum feeding did not. However, male chickens attained higher (p<0.05) live weights than female chickens at 42 days of age. It is suggested that 75% ad libitum restriction feeding during the starter stage from 14 up to 21 days of age may offer some economic advantage over ad-libitum feeding regimen, mainly by enhancing feed utilization. It may, therefore, be a useful nutritional strategy to reduce the cost of commercial starter grain based-diets.
AB - An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of different feed restriction regimes during the starter stage (14-21 days) on productivity and carcass characteristics of male and female Ross 308 chickens. A 3 (feeding levels: ad-libitum intake, 50% ad-libitum intake and 75% ad-libitum intake) x 2 (male and female chickens) factorial arrangement in a complete randomized design was used. Feed restriction affected (p<0.05) live weight of chickens at the age of 21 days and male chickens were heavier (p<0.05) than females at the same age. Chickens on 75% ad libitum feeding attained complete compensation in live weight at 42 days of age while those on 50% ad libitum feeding did not. However, male chickens attained higher (p<0.05) live weights than female chickens at 42 days of age. It is suggested that 75% ad libitum restriction feeding during the starter stage from 14 up to 21 days of age may offer some economic advantage over ad-libitum feeding regimen, mainly by enhancing feed utilization. It may, therefore, be a useful nutritional strategy to reduce the cost of commercial starter grain based-diets.
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U2 - 10.3923/ijps.2009.35.39
DO - 10.3923/ijps.2009.35.39
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:58849157911
SN - 1682-8356
VL - 8
SP - 35
EP - 39
JO - International Journal of Poultry Science
JF - International Journal of Poultry Science
IS - 1
ER -