Carcass yield and haemato-biochemical indices of broiler chickens as affected by dietary replacement of yellow maize with gayamba pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) variety

Abstract

The consumer price for poultry products in Nigeria and the expansion of the commercial poultry industry are negatively affected by the utilization of competitive and costly ingredients in making poultry diets. Consequently, the identification and utilization of locally available alternatives would greatly reduce cost of poultry production and products. In this regard, a study was undertaken to examine the effects of replacement of yellow maize (YM) with gayamba pearl millet variety as dietary energy source on carcass yield and blood parameters of broiler chickens. Three hundred (300) Ross 308 broiler chicks weighing 167.94 – 173.07g were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments of 75 birds each. Each treatment was replicated thrice with 25 birds in a completely randomized design. The experimental diets contained 0, 33.33, 66.67 and 100% gayamba millet as replacement for YM designated as diets 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. Full-fat soya bean and groundnut cake meal were the main vegetable protein sources used in the diets. Feed and water were provided ad libitum and the experiment lasted for 49 days. Results for carcass yield indicated a significant (P<0.05) influence of diet on live weight (1828.33 – 2316.66 g), plucked weight (1622.83 – 2132.83 g), eviscerated weight (1429.50 – 1883.47 g) and carcass weight (1277.66 – 1680.33 g) in favour of diet 3. However, dressing percentage (69.00 – 72.50%) did not differ among treatments. In the same way, most of the relative weights of organs were also not significantly affected by diet. Except for the packed cell volume (29.81 – 35.04%), none of the haematological parameters showed significant difference among the treatments. Similarly, most of the serum biochemical indices apart from total proteins, albumin and globulin, did not differ significantly among treatments. It was therefore concluded that gayamba pearl millet can completely replace yellow maize in broiler chickens' diets with no adverse effect on carcass yield and blood constituents.