Effect Of Inclusion Of Different Levels Of Rice (Oryza Sativa ) As A Substitute Of Sorghum On Broiler Chicks Performance

Abstract

This study has been conducted to investigate the effect of rice inclusion in broiler diet on performance, carcass characteristics and tibiaash of chickens. Seven experimental diets were formulated, T1 the basal diet or the control, then inclusion of rice at 25%, 50%, 75% & 100% to form in respective T2, T3, T4 & T5 then a mixture of 33.3% for each of sorghum, rice & millet to formulate T6 and then addition of 2.5% oil for the control diet to form T7. One hundred and five one day old, unsexed broiler chicks (Lohman) were used. The birds are allotted randomly into 21 pens. Each 5 birds per pen constitutes a replicate group and there are three replicates for each treatment. Through six weeks experimental period, feed and water were provided adlibitum. The results showed that inclusion of rice in broiler diets had a significant effect on feed intake and body weight gain (p<0.05), especially those at 25% recorded the highest feed intake & the best weight gain. Feed conversion ratio was also affected significantly (p<0.05). Inclusion of rice in broiler diet showed a higher live body weight than the control diet but it had no significant effect, whereas inclusion of rice showed the best and higher weights of carcass compared to control diet and also the cold carcass weights were better than the control and the statistical analysis showed a significant effect on both hot and cold carcass ( p< 0.05). The study showed that there is no increase in weights of drum and thigh with inclusion of different levels of rice whereas a significant increase in bones of breast was recorded ( p< 0.05).