Protein and energy requirements of some cockerel starters in the tropics
2003
Salami, R.I., Department of Agricultural Education (Animal Science Division), Oyo State College of | Akindoye, O., Department of Agricultural Education (Animal Science Division), Oyo State College of | Akanni, E.O., Department of Agricultural Education (Animal Science Division), Oyo State College of
A 3 x 5 factorially designed experiment, with three levels of energy (2 600, 2 800 and 3 000 Kcal MElkg diet) and five levels of crude protein (160, 180, 200, 220 and 240 g/kg) for each energy level, giving a total of 15 diets ("A to 0" in ascending order of energy level), aimed at evaluating the energy and crude protein requirements of the Black Olympian cockerel starters during 3 to 9 weeks of age. The diets were produced according to the modified diet dilution technique and they were fed ad libitum to the treatment groups. Each diet was replicated twice in space with 10 birds per replicate which were housed in equidimensional deep litter pens adequately equipped with brooding facilities. Irrespective of the crude protein (CP) levels fed, the difference (P0.05) in the growth rates of birds fed on diets containing 2 600 and 2 800 Kcal MElkg was not significant, while growth rate was poorer on the highest ME diet (3 000 Kcal/kg). The main effect of protein level independent of the energy level was also noted. The 24 per cent CP diet had the highest growth rate while feed conversion ratio (FCR) was optimized by 22 per cent CP diet beyond which there was no significant benefit. However, from the significant effect of the interaction of protein and energy levels, the weight gain and/or FCR of the birds fed diets containing 22 per cent CP and ME of 2 600 and 2 800 Kcallkg, and 24 per cent CP at dietary ME content of 3 000 Kcal/kg were/was optimised. Conclusively, a 220 g/kg crude protein diet containing 2 600 Kcal ME/kg would satisfy the protein and energy requirements of cockerel starters in the tropics during 3 to 9 weeks of age for optimal growth rate and FCR at minimal cost of feeding per unit gain.
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