The effect of physical forms of feed and time regimes of feeding on the growth performance and nutrient digestibility of broiler chickens

Two hundred and seventy (270) day-old Arbor-acre broiler chicks randomly distributed over 2 dietary treatments (mash and pellet) and 2-time regimes (06.00 -14.00 h and 10.00 – 18.00 h) in a 2 x 2 factorial experiment were used for the feeding trial which evaluated the performance responses of broiler chickens. The starter mash diets were control T1 (MCDS), and time regimes of 06.00-14.00 h T2 (MRS06.00-14.00 h) and T3 (MRS10.00 – 18.00 h), starter pellet diets which were control T4 (PCDS) and time regimes of 06.00 – 14.00 h for T5 (PRS06.00-14.00 h) and 10.00 -18.00 h for T6 (PRS10.00-18.00 h). This gave six (6) treatments in all replicated thrice and contained 15 birds each. During the finisher phase, the time regimes were readjusted to allow half of the treatment group to ad libitum feeding to give T9 (MRS06.00-14.00 Fad) and T10 (MRS10.00- 18.00Fad) while the other half of the group was maintained on the restriction period from the starter phase to give 2 x 2 x 2 factorial arrangements of 8 treatment groups replicated 3 times and each contained 7 birds. Growth performance indices monitored were, average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily body weight gained (ADWG), final live weight gain (FLW), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER). Apparent nutrient digestibility for dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE) and carbohydrate were determined between 21 – 27 days and 49- 56 days of the starter and finisher phases, respectively. Each phase lasted 28 days. Results at the starter phase indicated that the main effect of feed form was only significantly (p<0.05) higher on FCR, PER and water intake for birds fed pellet feed than those fed mash. However, main effect of feed form was significantly higher (p<0.05) for ADFI for mash feed form than the pellet but the FCR and PER values were better in birds fed the pellet feed during the finisher phase. The main effect did not affect (p>0.05) apparent digestibility of nutrients at the starter phase but birds fed pellet feed consistently recorded higher (p<0.05) values at the finisher phase. At the starter and finisher phases, interactive effect of the feed form x time regimes for feed restriction had consistent significant highest values (p<0.05) for FLW, FCR, PER and water intake for birds fed pellet control diet (PCDS). However, at the finisher phase, the ADFI was highest (p<0.05) for birds on mash control diet and similar to the intake of treatments T9 and T10. Birds fed pellet feed gave better performance than those on mash. Keywords: Pellet, Mash, Restriction, Growth, Phase