Effects of Administration of Molasses through Drinking Water on Growth and Conformation Parameters of Meat–Type Chicken

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of feeding molasses to broiler chickens as a supplement through drinking water rather than mixing it with the feed. One hundred (100) unsexed day old broiler chicks of Anak strain were used. They were divided into two treatment groups of fifty birds. Each group was replicated five times with 10 birds per replicate in a completely randomized design (CRD). Both groups were fed the same starter and finisher diets. In addition, treated groups was fed 30 g of molasses per liter of water from 0–2 weeks of age, 50 g/litre  2–4 weeks and 75 g/litre 4–8 weeks. The experiment lasted for 28 days each for starter (0–4 weeks) and finisher (4–8 weeks) phases. The molasses supplemented group had significantly (p<0.05) heavier body weight, conformation parameters (breast width, keel length) at both phases and consumed lesser feed at the finisher phase. There was no mortality. Molasses could therefore be fed as a supplement to broilers through drinking water.