Effect of feeding germinated brown sorghum and methionine supplementation on performance of broiler chicken

Master of Science in animal nutrition and feed Science

The study investigated the effects of germination on chemical composition and tannin content of brown sorghum (var. Serena) as well as feeding germinated and ungerminated Serena sorghum based diets to broiler chickens for a period of six weeks. The grains was soaked in water for 12 h and thereafter germinated for 48 h. One hundred and sixty day old Abor acres chicks were allocated to four isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets containing: ungerminated sorghum + 0.46% Methionine (Met) (UG46), germinated sorghum + 0.46% Met (G46), ungerminated sorghum + 0.69% Met (UG69) and ungerminated sorghum + 0.92% methionine (UG92). Germination slightly increased the crude protein content of Serena sorghum (9.9 to 10.3%). Germination reduced (p>0.05) the tannin content of the Serena variety from 0.47 to 0.32% TA. Birds fed the G46 diet had lower (P<0.05) feed intake during starter phase. Germination had no effect on weight gain, but improved (P<0.05) feed conversion ratio (FCR). Birds fed the UG69 diet decreased feed intake only at starter phase but had the highest (P<0.05) weight gain during starter and whole growth period (785.1 and 2258 g/chick). Increased methionine in the diet UG92 improved weight gain only during starter phase but decreased (p<0.05) feed intake in starter and finisher phases. Birds fed the diets UG69 and UG92 had lower (p<0.05) FCR. In conclusion, germination of the Serena sorghum had no effect on performance of broiler chickens. Supplementation of Serena sorghum based diets with 50% methionine above the recommended improved the performance of broilers with no beneficial effect beyond level