Comparative Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, and Economic Efficiency of Five Broiler Strains Fed a Common Diet

Abstract

A 56-days study trial was designed to determine the growth, nutrients digestibility and economic response of five broiler breeds fed common diet. A total of 200 day-old broiler chickens comprising of 40 each of Cobb 500, Arbor acres plus, Ross 308, Hubbard classic, and Marshall representing T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 respectively. The completely randomized design was used with each treatment (T) comprising of 4 replicates of 10 birds each. The result of the starter broiler chickens revealed superiority (P<0.05) of the Cobb 500 strain in average daily feed intake (28.02 g/day/bird) over the rest, with the final weight, average daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio similar across the strains.  At the finisher phase, significant (P<0.05) variations were observed across the broiler strains in final weight, average daily weight gain (ADWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR).  The ADWG and FCR, a fairly consistent result was obtained. Higher final weight of 2362.50 g/bird was recorded in the Arbor acre strain. This result also revealed that, Arbor acre, Ross 308 and Hubbard had significantly (P<0.05) higher ADWG (43.53, 40.11 and 39.36 g/bird/day respectively) with Arbor acre and Ross 308 strains having significantly (P<0.05) higher or better FCR (2.31 and 2.55). The digestibility of the proximate fractions by the different strains of finisher broiler chickens showed a similar result across the groups. The result of cost/kg feed was similar (702.44 ₦/kg) across the treatment groups. High revenue and profit were obtained in the Arbor acre strain of birds than the rest. Total production cost was also observed to be low in the Arbor acre followed by the Cobb strain. From the result of the study, it was concluded that Arbor acre and the Ross 308 strains had a higher body weight gain with a better efficiency in feed utilization thus, more economical for poultry farmers.