PERFORMANCE AND COST BENEFIT OF BROILER CHICKENS FED DIETARY LEVELS OF QUALITY PROTEIN MAIZE AS REPLACEMENT FOR NORMAL MAIZE

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the performance and cost benefits of broiler chickens fed dietary levels of Quality Protein Maize (QPM) as replacement for normal maize. Five diets were formulated in which QPM replaced normal maize at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% levels. The diets were designated as D1, D2, D3. D4 and D5, respectively. Two hundred and forty (240) day-old Abor Acre broiler chickens were allotted to 5 diets in replicates of 4 containing 12 birds each in a completely randomized design. Feed and water were provided ad libitum and the study lasted for 42 days. Results showed a significant (P<0.05) effect of QPM on daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio, final weight and total weight gain at the finisher phase. Birds on D3 (59.68g), D4 (61.74g) and D5 (64.35g) which were the same and comparable with D1 (54.96g), had significantly (P<0.05) higher daily weight gain than those on D2 (51.44g). Total weight gain of birds on D5 (1800.28g), D4 (1735.55g), D3 (1728.28g), which were the same, was higher (P<0.05) than on D1 (1601.66g) and D2 (1585.44g), which were also the same. Feed cost per kg was higher (N365.76 – 396.60) in QPM-based diets than the control (N355.44). However, feed cost per kg gain was lower (N797.75 – 828.04) in diets containing 50% and above QPM as replacement for normal maize compared to the control (N844.17). The highest cost saving of N46.42 (5.5%) was obtained on D3. It was therefore concluded that QPM can completely replace normal maize in broiler chicken diets with marked reduction in feed cost. However, 50% replacement level appeared to be the most economical.