THE EFFECTS OF STOCKING DENSITY ON THE PERFORMANCE OF BROILER CHICKENS

Abstract

THREE trials were conducted to determine the optimum stocking density for broiler chickens raised in a tropical environment In Trial 1, 100,67, 50,40, 34 and 29 birds were placed in duplicates in each pen with an area of 3.72 M2 to give stocking densities of 0.037, 0.056, 0.074, 0.093, 0.10 and 0 128 M2 per bird respectively. In Trial 2, stocking densities of 0.046, 0056, 0.064, 0.074, 0.083 and 0.093 M2 per bird were compared. Trial 3 involved studying the effects of providing equal feeder space (5cm/bird) or equal number of similar sized feeders (2 feeders per pen) when birds were stocked at floor spaces of 0.056, 0.064, 0.74, 0.083 and 0.093 sq meter per bird. Results showed that weight gain and feed consumption decreased, while total meat yield and net income per unit area increased, with increase in stocking rates. Feed efficiency, mortality and carcass dressing percentages were not significantly affected by the stocking rates. The effects of stocking densities on the performance of the birds were not altered by equalizing the feeder space per bird or by providing equal number of feeders per unit space. Management problems in terms of wetness of litter, feeding and watering were encountered with stocking densities of 0.037, 0.046 and 0.056 M2/ bird. Stocking rates of 0.083, 0.093, 0.10 and 0.128 M2 were uneconomic and did not produce superior performances to stocking densities of 0.064 or 0.074 M2/bird. On the basis of the results, floor spaces of 0.064 or 0.074 M2 per bird may be recommended as the optimum for broiler chickens raised in the tropics. The feeder space at these optimum stocking rates need not be more than 5cm per bird.