EFFECT OF FEED FORMS ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS AND MEAT QUALITY OF COBB-500 AND HUBBARD BROILER BREEDS

Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of feed form (mash and pellet) and breed (Cobb-500 and Hubbard) on growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality and profitability of broilers. The experiment was conducted at a private poultry farm located in Shera Dibandiba Kebele of Lume District. A 192 as hatched broiler day old chicks (96 Cobb 500 and 96 Hubbard) were used in a factorial arrangement (2Broilers breed X 2Feed forms) based on Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The experiment lasted for 21 days of starter, 14 days of grower and 14 days of finisher phase, during which dry matter intake, growth performance, dry matter conversion ratio, mortality, economic efficiency were measured. On the last day of the experiment, four broilers (2 males and 2 females) were slaughtered for measurement of carcass characteristics and meat quality. The result on the dry matter intake of broilers showed significant interaction effect between feed form and breed during starter, grower, finisher, and entire experimental period. The highest (P<0.001) total dry matter intake for the entire experimental period was exhibited by Cobb - pellet treatment combination (5981.3 g/chicken) than the rest treatment combinations. Significant (P<0.01) interaction effect between feed form and breed on final body weight, total body weight change, and average daily gain were observed in the grower, finisher, and entire experimental period. The final body weight of broilers at 49 days of age was highest for Cobb-500 breed subjected to pellet (3145.3 g/chicken), followed by the same breed fed mash (2878.4 g/chicken). Hubbard Breed subjected to both mash and pellet diet recorded the lowest final body weight of 2451.2 g/chicken and 2552.1 g/chicken at day 49, respectively. The interaction between feed form and breeds on dry matter conversion ratio was significant (P<0.01) during the grower, finisher, and entire experimental period. The best dry matter conversion ratio for the entire experimental period was exhibited by Cobb-500 breed fed both pellet and mash (1 .93 and 1.90), followed by Hubbard breed subjected to pellet diet, which had dry matter conversion ratio of 2.0. Significant interaction (P < 0.01) was reordered between feed form and breed on body weight at slaughter, dressed weight, eviscerated weight, breast weight, thigh and drumstick weight, gizzard weight, and liver weight. However, the interaction between feed form and breed for the abdominal fat weight was not significant (P>0.05). Similar interaction (p < 0.05) effect was noticed between feed form and breed on percent breast, thigh and drumstick, gizzard, abdominal fat weight. xv However, there was no interaction (P>0.05) between feed form and breeds on percent dressed weight, eviscerated weight, and liver weight. The highest (P<0.05) meat redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) were observed in Cobb-500 than Hubbard breed. The interaction between feed form and breed on dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, and ash content of broiler meat were not significant (P>0.05). Significant interaction (P < 0.01) was reordered between feed form and breed on feed cost/ kg of body weight gain during the starter, finisher, and entire period. However, the interaction effect during the grower stage was not significant (P>0.05). The least feed cost per kg of feed for the entire period was observed in Cobb-500 broilers subjected to mash feed (88.7), followed by the same breed fed pellet diet (96.4). Partial budget analysis indicated that the highest net return (NR) and marginal rate of return (MRR) was observed in Cobb-500 broilers fed mash diet. The present study identified Cobb-500 breeds fed pellet feed for better final body weight, dry matter conversion ratio, and carcass yield but Cobb-500 fed on mash feed was recommended for small holder producers due to least cost.