Open AccessPROTEIN AND ENERGY REQUIREMENTS OF BROILER CHICKENS IN THE TROPICS
Author(s) -
MC Njike,
Louis I. Ndife
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
nigerian journal of animal production
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 0331-2062
DOI - 10.51791/njap.v7i2.2116
Subject(s) - broiler , zoology , energy requirement , tropics , phase (matter) , biology , energy (signal processing) , environmental science , mathematics , chemistry , ecology , statistics , organic chemistry , regression
An experimental design consisting of four or three protein levels and three energy levels were used to determine the optimum protein and energy requirements for starting broilers (0-6) weeks of age and finishing broilers (6-10) weeks of age. For the starting phase, four protein levels (20, 23, 24 and 26%) and three energy levels (2800, 3000 and 3200 Kcal ME/kg) were employed, while in the finishing phase three protein levels (18, 20 and 22%) and the same three energy levels as in the starting phase were used. In the two experiments growth rate and feed efficiency improved as protein level increased. The 3000 Keal ME/kg energy level appeared to be the best for maximal growth. Of the four protein levels used for the starting phase, the minimum required for growth was clearly shown to be 23% while 20% was minimum required for the finishing phase. The results of the present studies indicate that the following minimal protein and metabolizable energy levels were required for broiler chicks in the tropics: 23–24% protein with energy level of 2800-3000 Kcal ME/kg for the starting phrase and 20% protein and energy level of 2800 - 3000 Kcal ME/kg for the finishing phase.