Abstract :

T

he current study was designed to evaluate growth performance, carcass characteristics and some blood plasma parameters on unsexed Hubbard broiler chicks fed different levels of protein and Mid-rib of date palm (MDP) up to five weeks of age. Four dietary treatments, using 160 chicks, each group comprised of 40 chicks in 5 replicates of 8 chicks each. Two levels of crude protein (required level; control) and (low [-2% crude protein]; T1) and two levels of MDP (5%; T2 and 10%; T3) were used to replace yellow corn grains found in control diet. At the end of experimental period at 5 weeks of age, 3 birds from each treatment were randomly selected and slaughtered for carcass, tibia and some plasma parameters. Obtained results indicated that chicks fed required protein diet (control) showed the highest live body weight and best feed conversion ratio compared with those fed low protein diet (T1). Moreover, chicks fed MDP (T2 or T3) diets reflected the lowest live body weight and worse feed conversion ratio compared with other dietary treatments. In regard to carcass characteristics parameters; carcass weight, total edible parts and abdominal fat % and carcass parts % (wing and drumstick %), recorded insignificant figures were observed when chicks fed different dietary treatments. However, liver, giblets, thigh and breast percentages recorded significant differences within dietary treatments. Additionally, tibia bone measurements (wet tibia weight, tibia length, tibia width and tibia Seeder index) showed insignificant differences within dietary treatments. Also blood plasma parameters [total protein, albumin, globulin, uric acid, total lipids, triglycerides, cholesterol and alanine transaminase (ALT)] were not altered, while; plasma aspartate transaminase (AST) concentration was increased by feeding low protein diets (T1). In conclusion, feeding broiler chickens on balanced diets is more successful in regard to growth performance, feed conversion ratio and carcass characteristics.

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Research :