Effect of Dietary Supplementation of Termites (Macrotermes bellicosus) on the Performance of Broiler Chickens

Abstract

Eight weeks feeding trails were conducted with 120 broiler chickens at poultry production unit of the Department of Animal Science, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto. The aim is to determine performance characteristics of broilers fed termite supplemented diet (Macrotermes bellicosus) at starter and finisher stage. A commercial diet was compared with two other diets; fishmeal diet and termite supplemented diet. Each of the three treatments was replicated four times, with ten chicks per replicate in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD). Broilers were fed regularly throughout the period of the experiment. Results of Carcass evaluation showed significant (P˂0.05) difference in weight of broiler parts like; breast, drum stick and liver, but there was no significant (P˃0.05) difference in back, thigh, wings and gizzard in all treatment diets. Other parts; feet, head, and spleen showed significant (P˂0.05) difference. But neck, heart, lungs, intestine and crop shows no significant (P˃0.05) difference in their weights. Proximate analysis showed no significant (P˃0.05) difference in nutrient composition in all the treatment diets, only ash showed significant (P˂0.05) difference in fishmeal. Mineral composition showed significant (P˂0.05) difference in almost all treatment diets except in phosphorus, copper and zinc. It was concluded that termite supplemented diet can successfully and economically replace fishmeal as protein source in the diets of broilers without deleterious effect on their health and carcass quality.