Abstract
Waste material from bakeries is an unconventional energy feed source which is available in sufficient quantities for use in small-scale broiler production in South Africa. Small-scale broiler producers do not have access to the computer programs required to balance home-mixed rations. This investigation confirms that the use of dried bakery products (DBP) in a 2-stage, free-choice method can be used to compensate for this lack. A total of 570 day-old male broiler chickens was assigned to 3 feeding treatments: the control group was fed a 2-stage feeding programme using standard commercial starter and grower rations. The 2nd group received a commercial starter ration up to Day 7 and was thereafter given a choice of a commercial starter ration with normal salt content (0.35%) and DBP. The 3rd group was fed a commercial starter ration up to Day 7, then offered a choice of commercial starter ration with a lower salt content (0.1%) and DBP. The low salt alternative was used to test whether the higher salt percentage in DBP influenced the choice of feed by the birds. It was found that the control group consumed significantly more feed (P < 0.05) and was significantly heavier (P < 0.05) than the experimental groups. However, there was no significant difference between the 2 experimental groups, which indicated that salt content did not play a role in the choice of ration. Feed consumption by both experimental groups was about one-third less than the control group, but the profit margin, as calculated using gross margin analysis, was approximately 15 % higher. It was therefore concluded that dried bakery products can be profitably incorporated as an energy feed source, using the free-choice feeding method, in small-scale broiler enterprises.
Highlights
Veterinarians and animal health technicians are involved in extension to smallscale farmers in South Africa
The cumulative feed intake of birds in Groups TB and TC equalled that of the control (TA) by Day 21 and Day 28, respectively, the mean body weight of birds in TB and TC remained lower than in those using grower ration (TA)
Mortality was similar to that of commercial broiler systems, and necropsy showed that the mortalities were not feed related. These results suggest that rations containing different levels of dried bakery products (DBP) are at least as efficient as the control treatment in converting feed into meat
Summary
Veterinarians and animal health technicians are involved in extension to smallscale farmers in South Africa. This extension includes advice on appropriate and cost-effective nutrition. Small-scale poultry farming offers an opportunity for sustainable food production and job creation in developing countries. Cereals such as maize are a major staple food for human consumption, but production may be insufficient to allow surplus for small-scale poultry production. When the cost of commercial rations becomes prohibitive, non-traditional sources of energy feed should be sought. ADepartment of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110 South Africa. BDepartment of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110 South Africa.
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