Growth Performance and Energy Utilization of Broiler Chickens on Tricale-Based Diets

Abstract

Semi-purified diets were formulated to contain 70-75 % of five cultivars of triticale (Bogong, Canobolas, Jackie, Tobruk and Endeavour) and two control diets based on maize and wheat. All diets were iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous and were offered without any microbial enzyme supplements to 336 day-old chicks (initial weight, 37.2±0.90 g) until 22 days of age. Each diet was replicated 6 times, with 8 chicks per replicate. The chicks were reared in cages in an environmentally controlled house. The AME of the diets was measured through total faecal collection between 18 and 22 days of age. Feed intake, body weight and FCR were measured weekly. At the end of the trial, 2 chicks per replicate were randomly selected and slaughtered. The carcasses were minced, freeze-dried and sub-sampled for protein, fat, and energy analyses. The data were used to derive values for nutrient retention, net energy of production (NEp), heat production and efficiencies of utilization of protein, fat and metabolizable energy based. From 1 to 7 days of age feed intake, weight gain and FCR were poorer (P < 0.05) on the wheat-based diet than on the triticale- and maize-based diets. When assessed to 21 days of age, feed intake and weight gain of birds fed on the diets based on wheat and Canobolas were also lower (P < 0.05) than those of chicks on the other diets but FCR was similar for all diets. The ME intake and NEp from 1 to 22 days was lower (P < 0.05) on the wheat-based diet than on the triticale- and maize-based-diets. Chickens on all five triticale-based diets retained more (P < 0.05) energy in form of protein and fat than those on the wheat based-diet. The efficiencies of ME use for energy and protein retention were relatively similar among the diets, however, the efficiency of ME use for lipid retention on the wheat- and maize-based diets was lower (P < 0.05) than on diets containing Bogong, Canobolas, Jackie and Tobruk but relatively similar to Endeavour.