Weight Test of Broiler Chicks Placed on Probioticfortified Composite Feed, Standard Commercial Starter Mash and Cornmeal

Abstract

The study was carried out to compare growth performance results among broiler chicks placed on probioticfortified animal feed (G3), Feed Mill of Nigeria starter mash (G1) (conventional feed) and cornmeal (G2) diets. A total of thirty 1-day-old mixed-sex Agricol broiler chicks were randomized into three groups of 10 chicks each and placed on 600g (300g morning, 300g evening) of the respective diets. Feeding test was carried out for the duration of four weeks. The chicks were weighed weekly and data collected was statistically analyzed using a one-way Analysis of variance to check for significant differences in weight among groups. From data analyzed, chicks in groups G3 – probiotic-fortified feed and G1 – Feed Mill of Nigeria starter mash, showed no significant difference in parameters (weight) analyzed (p<0.05) and performed better in comparison to chicks placed on cornmeal diet (G2). This study shows that probiotic-fortified feed can be used as a substitute to conventionally-produced feed and yield similar growth performance without the use of feed additives which have adverse effects on animals being fed.