Evaluation of the effect of feeding different animal protein sources on the biological performance of broilers
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Date
2023-03-13
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CSK HPKV, Palampur
Abstract
A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding different animal protein sources viz.
fish meal, meat bone meal and earthworm meal in the broiler diet under complete randomized
block design. Day old broiler chicks (n=180) of vencobb-400 strain were divided into four
treatment groups T0, T1, T2 and T3 which were further divided into three replicates with 15
chicks in each. All the birds were fed isonitrogenous and isocaloric standard diet. The birds in
control group T0 was offered with standard poultry diet maize soy flake-based ration, T1
offered standard diet with inclusion of 5% fish meal, T2 offered standard diet with inclusion of
5% meat bone meal and T3 offered standard diet with inclusion of 5% earthworm meal. The
result obtained from the study revealed that animal protein source supplementation with 5%
earthworm meal significantly (P<0.05) enhanced the growth, feed intake, feed gain ratio and
nutrient utilization, during both starter and finisher phase. In pre starter phase,
supplementation of 5% meat bone meal significantly (P<0.05) enhanced the growth, feed
intake and improved the feed gain ratio. Overall, supplementation of 5% earthworm meal
exhibited higher live weight gain and better feed gain ratio. Highest dressing percentage,
increased breast yield and low abdominal fat was recorded with improved organoleptic factors
viz. flavour and juiciness of the meat. Hb and RBC values among blood parameters were
significantly (P<0.05) higher in T3 group while other haematological parameters did not
exhibit any significant differences. Increased phosphorus and calcium concentration were
recorded with 5% earthworm supplementation in diet. Among biochemical parameters,
significant difference (P<0.05) in protein and globulin concentrations were recorded, while
plasma cholesterol and uric acid concentrations were significantly low (P<0.05) with 5%
earthworm supplemented T3 treatment. Increased diameter of tibial bone positively
influencing the thickness of tibial bone was observed in 5% earthworm supplemented
treatment. Overall economic analysis revealed that broilers supplemented with 5% earthworm
meal exhibited 25.30% higher gross profit as compared to the control as well as other
treatment supplemented with fish meal and meat bone meal in terms of the body weight gain
and feed efficiency.