THE EFFECT OF STOCKING DENSITY ON PERFORMANCE OF GROWER CHICKEN OF HORRO CHICKEN BREED UNDER INTENSIVE POULTRY PRODUCTION SYSTEM
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Date
2017-06
Authors
GOSAYE, MEKONEN
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Abstract
A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of stocking density on feed intake, body weight, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, mortality and behavior of unsexed Horro breed chicken under intensive poultry production system. The experiment was carried out at Debre Zeit Agriculture Research Center. Data were recorded daily for feed consumed, feed refused and morality but body weights were recorded biweekly. Data were analyzed using procedures of SAS software. Eight week old 120 unsexed chickens were randomly divided into three groups of 8, 10 and 12 with four replications. The birds were reared from 8 to 20 weeks of age under stocking densities of 8 birds/m2 (D1), 10 birds/m2 (D2) and 12 birds/m2 (D3). Feed intake was significantly (p≤0.01) higher under D1 (918.05g) followed by D2 (879.34g) and D3 (793.44g). Body Weight, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio were significantly (p≤0.01) higher under D2 (10 birds/m2). Body weight recorded higher under D2, D1 and D3 with value of 1074.85g, 1012.22g and 957.24g respectively. Body weight gain was 124.49g, 110.16g and 102.78g under D2, D1 and D3 respectively. Feed conversion ratio was lowest for D2 (2.07), followed by D1 (2.13) and D3 (2.30). The higher mortality were observed to be associated with high stocking density (D1 (5.83%) followed by D2 (9.16%) and D3 (11.66%)). The observations on behavioral aspects indicated that cannibalism, locomotion and molting were increasingly affected with increased stocking density, while leg deformation was not affected.
Description
A Thesis Submitted to College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture of Addis Ababa University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for Degree of Masters of Science in Animal Production
Keywords
Body weight, Body weight gain, Feed conversion ratio, Stoking density