Response of Finishing Broilers Fed On-Farm Feed to Dietary

Abstract: The objectives of the feeding trial were to evaluate the response of finishing broilers to commercial feed (diet A) and on-farm formulated diets supplemented with maxigrain enzyme (diet B) and maxigrain and vitamin B(diet C). A total of ninety 6 week old broilers were used for the feeding trial on deep litter. The finisher experiment lasted from 6-8 weeks. Feed and water were given ad libitum. Supplementation with enzyme and or vitamin B significantly (P<0.05) increased weight gain, final live weight, feed intake and feed conversion efficiency. However, birds fed diets supplemented with enzyme alone performed better than (P<0.05) the birds fed diets supplemented with enzyme and vitamin B (diet C) and the control (diet A) in terms of weight gain, final live weight, feed intake and feed conversion efficiency. The cost of feed/kg was lowest (P<0.05) with the diet supplemented with enzyme alone followed by the diet supplemented with a combination of enzyme and vitamin B. Feed cost / gain in weight was also highest (P<0.05) on the commercial diet (A). Results of the haematological variables showed significant differences (P<0.05) with respect to the PCV, RBC, WBC, Hb, MCH, MCV and MCHC. Live weight, carcass weight, dressing percentage, breast, thigh, drumsticks, varied significantly (P<0.05). However, liver and heart were statistically similar (P>0.05) for the three diets. The supplemented diets were cheaper to produce than the commercial one besides resulting in more economic production of broiler and bette