Effect of early post-hatch nutrition on production performance of commercial broiler chicken

Abstract

The study was conducted to access the effect of early post-hatch nutrition regimens on the productive performance of 384 number of commercial broiler chicken (Cobb 400). Different nutrient regimens include glucose and probiotic alone in hatcher tray and first day in pen and a high and very high density diet of 25 and 27 per cent dietary crude protein respectively and 3100 kcal ME/kg diet in hatcher tray and subsequent three days in pen along with glucose and probiotic alone in hatcher tray and first day in pen was provided. Later, all broiler chicks were switched over to the recommended commercial Cobb broiler diet up to 42 days. Body weight, feed efficiency and breast muscle fibre diameter were significantly higher in treatment groups. No significant difference existed between different treatment groups for hatchability, livability percent, carcass characteristics and cut up parts. Trimmable fat per cent was significantly higher (P less than 0.01) in control birds. It may be concluded that early post hatch nutrition with high nutrient dense diet resulted in better production performance in commercial broiler chicken.