Response and Economic Indices of Broilers on Low Crude Protein Diets Fortified with Lysine

Aims: This study is to evaluate the growth performance, flock uniformity, feather weight, carcass characteristics and economic indices of broilers fed low protein diets fortified with synthetic lysine.

Study Design: All data generated were subjected to analysis of variance in a complete randomized design.

Place and Duration: The experiment was carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria, between November and December 2014.

Methodology: One hundred and eighty unsexed Abor Acres strain day old broiler chicks were used in a seven-week feeding trial. Five experimental diets were formulated. Diets 1 and 2 were negative and positive control respectively with 22.23% crude protein while diets 3, 4 and 5 contained 18.2% each at the starter phase and 17.8% at the finisher phase. They all had recommended level of methionine with varying levels of synthetic lysine inclusion ranging from 0.40% in diet 1 to 0.65% in diet 5 at the starter phase and 0.40 to 0.60% at the finisher phase.

Results: The result indicated that birds on diet 3 with 18.26% crude protein (CP) and high lysine inclusion had a higher (P<0.05) daily gain and least feed to gain ratio at the starter phase, although, the birds on low protein diets had a numerical increase in feed intake but weight gain decreased as the lysine inclusion increased beyond diet 3. The fortification with lysine resulted in a least cost input but an increased profit, economic efficiency of growth, live weight and thigh.

Conclusion: From this study, the objective of the poultry farmer to achieve optimum production with least input is possible using a low crude protein diet supplemented with lysine. This will result in increased profit, economic efficiency of growth, live weight and thigh size.