Effect of graded levels of oven dried maggot meal on growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens

Abstract

An eight week experiment was conducted using two hundred and twenty five (225) Marshal Broiler chicks to evaluate the effect of graded levels of oven dried maggot meal on growth performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens. The design of the experiment was completely randomized design (CRD). Poultry unit of the Teaching and Research Farm of the Department of Animal Production, School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, Federal University ofTechnology Minna, Niger State, Nigeria was used for the Study. The birds were randomly allocated into five dietary treatments containing 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 % of maggot meal respectively. Each treatment had three replicates with 15 birds in each replicate. The birds were fed ad Ubitun. Data were collected on body weight, feed intake, body weight gain; feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio and nutrient digestibility were calculated. Carcass and sensory characteristics were also evaluated. The starter phase covered weeks 0- 4 and the finisher phase from weeks 5-8. The results showed that feed intake and feed conversion ratio values were influenced (P<0.05) by the dietary treatment at the starter phase. The results of the finisher phase revealed that dietary treatments had effect on (P<0.05) mean final body weight and weekly feed intake. High percentage mortality was observed in birds fed 2.0 % oven dried maggot meal. The result of the nutrient digestibility showed no (P>0.05) difference in crude protein, ether extract and nitrogen free extract. However, significant (P<0.05) differences were observed in dry matter, crude fibre and ash digestibility. The results ofcarcass cuts were only different (P<0.05) in the values of the dressed weight, wings, thigh and drumstick percent of live weight. Visceral organs of broilers were statistically different (P<0.05) in spleen and small intestinal percents of live weight, while all other visceral organs measured were not different (P>0.05). All sensory parameters were significantly (P<0.05) different except flavour. It was concluded that oven dried maggot meal can replace fish meal at 2.0 %