THE PRODUCTIVITY OF BROILER CHICKENS FED BETAINE SUPPLEMENTED DIETS

Abstract

The study was conducted to investigate the productivity of broiler chicken fed diets supplemented with betaine. Day-old broiler chicks (Cobb 500, n=280) of either sex were assigned randomly into four dietary treatments, i.e D0(Control), D1(0.15 % betaine), D2(0.20 % betaine) and D3(0.25% betaine) in a CRD. Each treatment was replicated seven times with ten birds per replicate. Chicks were reared in the battery cages of equal size entire the trial period from d1-33d. Starter diet (crumble-pellet) was fed the chicks up to 14d, after that test diet was fed the birds rest of the trial period All the formulated diets were iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous. Data on feed intake (FI), live weight (LW), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and livability were recorded. Besides, gut morphology and blood metabolites were assessed from the samples collected on d30. Carcass yield traits, relative visceral organ weights, leg bone traits and profitability were measured on d33. The data revealed that FI, LW and FCR of broilers were influenced (P<0.05). Birds fed D3 diet attained higher (P<0.05) LW at the expense of higher FI than that of other diets on 33d. The livability (%) and visceral organ weights (proventriculus, gizzard, liver, heart, pancreas) were unaffected (P>0.05) between treatments. The results of meat yield traits revealed that except for dressing % and thigh weight, other meat cuts say, breast weight, wing weight, shank weight, drumstick weight, and abdominal fat content percentages etc., were found similar (P>0.05) between treatments. Only dressing % and thigh weight % differed significantly (P<0.05) between treatments. The highest dressing % and thigh weight % were observed in D3 group and the lowest dressing % and thigh weights being in D0. Blood serum concentrations (glucose, total protein, albumin, uric acid and creatinine) did not differ (P>0.05) except for triglyceride. The result of intestinal morphology revealed that except for villus width, no other ileal characters i.e. villus height (VH), crypt depth (CD), VH:CD ratio and surface area etc., were found significant (P>0.05) between treatments. Higher profit (P<0.01) and lower production cost (P<0.05) were observed in the birds fed D3 and D1 diet group than other diet groups. It can be inferred that broilers fed on betaine treated diet (D3) might show a better growth performance for profitable poultry production.