CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF USING SUPER SOSAT MILLET (Pennisetum glaucum) IN BROILER CHICKENS DIETS

Abstract

Experiment was conducted at the Bauchi State College of Agriculture, Bauchi Poultry Farm to evaluate carcass characteristics and economic benefits of broiler chickens fed graded levels of Super SOSAT millet (SSM) based diets. Four experimental diets were formulated and designated as diets 1 (0%), 2 (33%), 3 (66%) and 4 (100%) SSM inclusion levels. A total of 208 day-old unsexed Marshal broiler chicks were randomly allotted to fourdietary treatments of  52 birds per treatment in a completely randomized design. Each treatment was replicated four times with thirteen birds per replicate. At the end of the feeding trial, representative samples of the birds from each replicate were randomly selected. A total of thirty-two (32) birds with two (2) birds from each replicate were slaughtered, scalded plucked and eviscerated. Live weight of each bird was taken before slaughtering. Live, plucked, eviscerated and dressed weights were determined. Dressing percentage and gut organ’s weight were expressed as percentage of live weights. The result revealed that most of the carcass characteristics were not affected except liver (1.81-2.37%), lungs (0.48-0.59%) and intestinal (6.62-9.02%) weights (P<0.05). Abdominal fat (1.17-2.24%) and pancreas (0.29-0.38%) were also affected at ((P<0.001; P<0.01 respectively). Both the feed cost (N/kg) and feed cost in naira per kg body gain decreased with increasing levels of SSM. It can be concluded that SSM can completely replace maize as dietary energy source in the diets of broiler chickens with no adverse effect on carcass yield as well as reduction in feed cost.