EVALUATION OF PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF BROILERS FED GRADED LEVELS OF RAW COCOA BEAN SHELL BASED DIETS
Abstract
A total of one hundred and fifty day old Anak broiler chicks were randomly allotted to five dietary treatment with 30 birds per treatment, replicated thrice, in a completely randomized design, the treatments were: A (0?S-control diet); B (5% RCBS); C (10% RCBS); D (15% RCBS) and E (20% RCBS). All the birds were fed ad libitum throughout the experimental period of eight weeks. The feed intake and weight gain were monitored. The performance and carcass characteristics were studied. Significant differences were observed in the feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio. Also significant difference were obtained in the value of plucked weight, eviscerated organ, dressed percentage, while the value obtained for thigh, drumstick and gizzard were not significantly different with the birds fed graded level of raw coca bean shell based diets. RCBS could effectively replace maize up to 10% in the diets of broilers without any deleterious effects.
