Effects of feeding four varieties of <i>Sorghum bicolor</i> as replacement for maize on growth performance of broiler chicks in Kaduna state

Abstract

The pressure on maize by feed industries and other industries has been increasing worldwide and maize has remained the major energy source in compounded diets of poultry ration which requires attention for alternative energy feed stuff for poultry due to cost and varying climatic changes. A study was carried out to evaluate the effects of feeding four varieties of Sorghum bicolor on growth performance of broiler chickens in Zaria, Kaduna state, Nigeria. Two hundred and twenty five (225) Arbor acre chicks were randomly distributed into five dietary treatments after three days adjustment period using the complete randomized design (CRD) as follows, T₁ - maize, T₂ –Samsorg-14, T₃ –Samsorg-40, T₄ –Samsorg-17 and T₅–KSV-15 in replacement for maize (T₁) on the performance of broiler chickens. Each treatment had fortyfive (45) birds per treatment allotted into three (3) replicates containing fifteen (15) birds per pen, which lasted for four weeks. Data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and significant (P < 0.05) differences among treatments were compared using the Tukey`s test. The result at the starter phase showed that chicks fed T₁ and T₂ were significantly (P<0.05) higher in final body weight, average daily weight gain and had better feed conversion ratio and feed cost/kg gain than birds fed T₃, T₄ and T₅ diets. In conclusion total replacement of Samsorg-14 (T₂) for maize (T₁) in broiler chicks’ diet had no negative impact on performance at the starter phase, therefore Samsorg-14 can be incorporated in the diets of broiler chicks at 100%.

Keywords: Broiler chicks, Sorghum varieties, growth performance