Feeding programs and their effects on broiler performance and economic indexes
2014
Trevisan, R.B. | Nakagi, V.S. | Bravo, P.T. | Faria, D.E.
Different feeding programs were evaluated with the aim of comparing broiler performance and economic indexes. Twelve hundred birds were subjected to a completely randomized experimental design with 5 treatments and 8 replicates with 30 birds per experimental unit. The feeding programs were based on Cobb Vantress manual (T1), NRC values (T2), and previous research by Rostagno (T3, T4) and a modified Rostagno diet (T5). Feed intake, BW, weight gain, feed conversion, viability, energy consumption, caloric conversion, productive efficiency index, and carcass characteristics were evaluated in the period from 1 to 46 d of age. The gross trade margin was calculated for economic analysis. The results were evaluated based on a variance analysis, and the Tukey test was used to compare treatment means. For performance characteristics, metabolizable energy consumption was similar for treatments T1, T3, and T5, but was higher for treatment T2 than T1 and T4. Caloric conversion was higher for treatment T2 than other treatments, and no differences were noted for other performance characteristics. It was concluded that the T1 feeding program, based on the Cobb Vantress manual, resulted in higher trade gross margin ($0.821), whereas T2, based on NRC values, was lower ($0.762). Therefore, the recommendations contained in the Cobb Vantress manual should be used as a means of achieving greater profitability in broiler production.
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