Effect of Feeding Broilers with Three Different Regimens on Performance and Carcass Characteristics

Abstract

This study aims to compare three programs of feeding broiler conducted on 120 Ross 308 chicks at one day of age distributed to three treatments of 4 replicates by 10 birds each. T1 given 3 phase (starter, grower, finisher) rations during (1-14,15-28, 29-42) days respectively, T2 given a 2 phase (starter ration from 1-28 days and finisher ration from 29-42 days), T3 given a (1 phase) grower ration from 1-42 day. Feed and water have been given ad libitum. All chicks were reared in a semi-open house in pens with a dimension of 1.25 × 1.25 m. The results showed that there was an insignificant difference between treatments in live body weight, total and daily weight gain, Total and daily feed intake except 3-4, 5-6, 0-6 weeks, T3 was significantly less than T2 during the total period, protein intake was significantly different except at 1-2, 4-5 weeks, T3 was significantly higher than T1 in total period 0-6 week. There was an insignificant difference in feed or protein conversion ratio at all studying periods. There was an insignificant difference between treatments in all carcass traits. The difference between treatments in relative growth rate was less than 1%. The second treatment showed a small improvement in economic efficiency by about 2%.