Effect of Stocking Density on Growth Performances of Caged Broilers during Cold Stress Condition

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of stocking density on the growth performance of caged broilers during cold stress conditions. A total of 72 day-old Cobb-400 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to three treatment groups viz. T1 (2 sq. ft. per bird), T2 (1.33 sq. ft. per bird), and T3 (1 sq. ft. per bird), with eight replicates per treatment. Birds were housed in 24 uniformly sized (4 sq. ft.) battery cages and reared for a period of five weeks. All birds in treatment groups received a standard BIS formulated diet. Weekly body weight and gain in weight were recorded to assess the performance of caged broilers. Although differences in average body weight were found statistically non-significant, the highest mean body weight was observed in T3 (1 sq. ft. per bird). Significant differences were found in weight gain, with the highest average gain recorded in T2 (1.33 sq. ft. per bird), followed by T3 and the improved growth in higher density groups may be attributed to better thermoregulation under cold stress condition reducing nutrient intake on heat maintenance. These findings suggest that moderate to high stocking densities can enhance broiler performance during cold conditions by optimizing nutrient utilization and maintaining body temperature.