PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS AND GUT MORPHOLOGY OF BROILERS CHICKENS UNDER DIFERENT STOCKING DENSITIES
Abstract
This study was conducted to determine the effect of phytoadditives performance characteristics
and gut morphology of broiler chickens under different stocking densities (African nutmeg
Monodora myristica, Garlic (Allium sativum) and Ginger (Ziniber offiicinale) Two hundred and
eighty eight (288) 1- day old Arbor Acre strain of broiler chicks were used for the experiment.
The birds were weighed at the commencement of the experiment and randomly divided into 12
treatments having three replicates each. Each replicate had eight (8) birds to make a total of
twenty four (24) birds per treatment lasted for seven (7) weeks. Treatment 1 (T1) Standard
stocking densities with no inclusion of test ingredients, Treatment 2 (T2) medium stocking
densities with no inclusion of test ingredients, Treatment 3 (T3) high stocking density with no
inclusion of test ingredient, Treatment 4 (T4) inclusion of 0.2% ginger at standard stocking
density, Treatment 5 (T5) inclusion of 0.2% ginger at medium stocking density, Treatment 6
(T6) inclusion of 0.2% ginger at high stocking density, Treatment 7 (T7) inclusion of 0.2%
garlic at standard stocking density, Treatment 8 (T8) inclusion of 0.2% garlic at medium
stocking density, Treatment 9 (T9) inclusion of 0.2% garlic at high stocking density, Treatment
10 (T10) inclusion of 0.2% African nutmeg at standard stocking density, Treatment 11 (T11)
inclusion of 0.2% African nutmeg at medium stocking density, Treatment 12 (T12) inclusion of
0.2% African nutmeg at high stocking density. The final weight values of birds in Treatments 1,
4 and 7 (2008.83g, 2096.21g and 2073.54g) respectively were the highest while the smallest
value (1539.26g) was observed in Treatment 9 .Treatments 2 and 9 had the lowest feed intake
(64.56g control and 60.13g) respectively. Treatment 2 had the lowest (1.65) feed to gain ratio.
Treatment 12 had the lowest feed cost per kilogram of body weight of (#1801.57) while
Treatment 2 had the lowest (#995.00).
iv
The gut morphology parameter were significantly (p
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