Feed Restriction Effects on the Subsequent Performance of RIR Chicken

The objectives of the study were to evaluate the effect on age, body weight and egg weight at the onset of egg lay, to assess on carcass yield and to evaluate the economic benefits. 240 day-old chicks were randomly distributed into 12 pens. The treatments were T1 (Control), T2 (Restricted at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of age), T3 (Restricted at 35, 42, 49 and 56 days of age) and T4 (Restricted at 63, 70, 77 and 84 days of age). The daily DM intake and BW changes were similar (P 0.05). There was also a difference (P0.01) in BW and EW. From the carcass yield parameters, dressed weight, abdominal fat free carcass, carcass with abdominal fat and breast meat weights were significantly (P0.05) different. Cost of feed consumed per kg live weight gain for respective treatments was lower for the feed restricted birds than the control and it was the least for T4. The results of this study suggested that the feed restriction at T4 might be economically considered as beneficial as compared to the control and feed skipping at T2 stages of growth.

Autorentext

Etalem Tesfaye Bekele- Associate Researcher I at Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center, (2 and half on teaching and 2 years on research) and currently a PhD student at Haramaya University, Ethiopia, M.Sc., BSc. from Haramaya University, Five published papers.