Performance, Carcass Characteristic and Haematology of Broiler Chickens Managed on Alum Treated and Untreated Wood Shavings

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of alum treated and untreated wood shaving on broiler chickens performance and carcass characteristic. A total of Two hundred and forty (240) day old Marshall Strain broiler chicks of mixed sexes were used for the study from the poultry unit of the Department of Animal Science teaching and research farm, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. The birds were fed on a common diet during this period and were subsequently weighed and randomly assigned to four treatment groups. The treatments were replicated three times with 20 birds per pen. They were housed under a deep litter system with 15kg wood shavings per pen in a completely randomised design. Aluminium sulphate (alum) was applied to the wood shavings by mixing it with alum thoroughly using hands covered with hand gloves. The rates of alum application was as follows: T1 control (normal wood shavings with no alum), T2 (5% alum by kg weight of wood shavings), T3 (10% alum by kg weight of wood shavings) and T4 (15% alum by kg weight of wood shavings). Data was collected on feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio was determined weekly. At the termination of the experiment (day 56), two birds from each pen having representative weights for the group (6 birds per Treatment) were selected for carcass characteristics. In results there was no significant (P>0.05) difference in all the parameters measured such as initial weight, daily weight gain, daily feed intake, daily water intake, final weight, Total weight gained, cost/kg gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR). The result showed a significant (P<0.05) difference in heart and liver weight among the treatments. However, there was no significant (P>0.05) difference among all the treatments in prime cuts and percent of other visceral organs. In conclusion the application of Alum to wood shavings did not improve performance of broiler chickens significantly.