Response of broiler chickens to different feeding times in the hot humid tropics
2000
Donkoh, A., Department of Animal Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi,Ghana | Yirenkyi, K., Department of Animal Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi,Ghana
An experiment was conducted to determine the response or 7-day-old broiler chickens to ditferent feeding times in a hot, humid tropical area where the prevalent mean environmental temperature and relative humidity were 32ºC and 65 per cent, respectively. The chicks were randomly divided into three quadruplicate lots of 50 birds each and were fed at various times for 7 weeks. Each treatment group of 200 birds was subjected to one of three feeding regimens. namely 24-h access to feed with the aid of artilicial light at night (control), access to feed only at day time (from 06.00 to 18.00 h), and access to feed only at night with the aid of artificial light (from 18.00 to 06.00 h). Birds which had 24-h access to feed consumed signilicantly more feed compared with those on the other treatments. Body weight gain of birds which had 24-h access to feed was signiticantly higher at 56 days of age, followed by birds which had access to feed only at night and only at daytime. However, efficiency of feed use was poorest tor birds which had 24-h access to feed. Mortality rates were influenced significantly by the feeding regimen. Carcass dressing percentage was greatest for birds which had 24-h access to feed. However, the relative weights of the gizzard, liver, heart, and kidney were unaffected by the feeding regimen. Carcass chemical composition was signiticantly influenced by the various feeding times
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