The impact of multi-phased nutrition on the production performance of broilers during the starter period | Утицај мултифазне исхране на производне перформансе бројлера у стартер периоду

Multi-phased broiler diet is important for optimizing nutrition, production economy and environmental protection. By observing the fattening period, we can conclude that the early fattening phases are given special attention and that the nutrition during the starter period is especially significant for obtaining optimal production performance. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of multi-phase diet (or rather different mixtures of broiler feed where the protein content was reduced by multiple phases) on the production features of fattening chickens during the first stage of fattening. Testing was conducted on 608 individually marked male chickens, of the Ross 308 type, divided into four groups: T1 (control group) - food mixture with 23% protein content between the 1st – 21st day; T2 – nutrition between the 1st to 7th day using a mixture with 23% protein content followed by nutrition with 21.5% protein content between the 7th and 21st day; T3 – nutrition between 1st – 14th day using a mixture with 23% protein content followed by nutrition with 21.5% protein content between 14th – 21st day, and T4 – nutrition between 1st and 3rd day using a mixture with 23% protein content, followed by a nutrition with 22.55% protein content between 4th to 6th day, and a nutrition with 22.10% protein content between 7th and 9th day, then 21.65% protein content between 10th to 12th day, then 21.20% protein content between 13th – 15th day, then 20.75% protein content between 16th – 18th day and ending with 20.30% protein content between 19th and 21st day. In the experimental period (from 1st – 21st day) the basic production parameters were observed. The analysis of gathered data revealed that the chickens in the T1 (138.14 g, 361.29 g), T2 (137.40 g, 354.83 g) and T3 (137.75 g, 356.65 g) groups achieved significantly higher body mass in the first two weeks compared to chickens in the T4 (133.56 g, 340.08 g) group. However, in the last week of fattening there was a reduction in body weight differences between the T4 group and the other groups, so that by the end of the starter period (21 days) the difference was not statistically significant. Notably, the food conversion in a sample group T4 (1.462) was more efficient when compared to T1 (1.528), T2 (1.646) and T3 (1.572) groups. The multi-phase diet program had no impact on the mortality rate. Although the growth of body weight at the end of the starter period is nearly equal, the difference in conversion efficiency can be crucial for achieving positive economic production effects.