Abstract
An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of the inclusion of 20% whole-grain or ground pearl millet (PM) in mash and pelleted diets on the performance, carcass traits, and organ weights of broilers reared until 21 days of age. A randomized block experimental design in a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement (diets containing corn and soybean meal, whole-grain PM, or ground PM x mash or pelleted diets), with five replicates per treatment and 10 birds per experimental unit, was applied. Diets were analyzed for mean geometric diameter, geometric standard deviation, pellet hardness, and density. Broiler performance, carcass yield, and organ weights were evaluated. On day 21, one bird with the average weight of each experimental unit was sacrificed for carcass evaluation. It was concluded that both as whole-grain and ground PM can be added to the diet of broilers up to 21 days of age. The dietary inclusion of PM results in higher abdominal fat deposition. Broilers fed the pelleted diets presented lower feed intake, better feed conversion ratio, lower gizzard and heart percentages, and higher carcass weight.
Highlights
The high cost of broiler feeds has stimulated an increasing demand for alternative feed stuffs,including pearl millet
Treatments consisted of three nutritionally balanced diets [a reference diet based on corn and soybeans (RD), a diet with 20% whole-grain millet, and a diet with 20% ground millet (GM)] and two physical forms [mash (MASH) or pelleted (PELL)]
There was no effect of treatments on feed intake in the pre-starter phase, on feed conversion ratio and protein efficiency in the starter phase, or on weight gain in both evaluated phases (Table 2)
Summary
The high cost of broiler feeds has stimulated an increasing demand for alternative feed stuffs,including pearl millet Pearl millet can be added at 40% to pre-starter and starter iso-nutrient broiler diets (Gomes et al, 2008) with no harm to their performance. Davis et al (2003) concluded that it was feasible to include 50% PM in iso-nutrient diets, and Murakami et al (2009) asserted that it is profitable to replace 100% corn by PM in the diets of broilers of all phases. According to Baurhoo et al (2011), broiler performance was superior when corn was completely replaced by PM in diets. With complete and isometric replacement of corn by different millet types, Rao et al (2004) described worse weight gain and feed conversion ratio of 21and 42-d-old broilers
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