Abstract:
An experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of different dietary levels of energy on growth
performance and meat yields of indigenous (desi) chickens up to the target weight of 950 g in rural
condition. One hundred indigenous unsexed chicks aged 4 weeks were considered for the feeding trial
until the body weight reached at 950g. Chicks were divided into two dietary treatments having five
replications (10 chicks per replication) and reared on littered floor in an open sided house by providing
0.092 m² floor space per bird. Two iso-nitrogenous diets (23% CP) differing in energy contents were
formulated to constitute dietary treatments. Diets for comparison were: moderate energy density
(MED): ME 2800 kcal/kg and high energy density (HED): ME 3000 kcal/kg. The contents of CP, ME,
Calcium (Ca) and total Phosphorous in MED diet were fitted with the requirements of Bureau of
Indian Standard (BIS 1992). Body weight, feed intake, FCR and survivability had no significant effect
between the two dietary groups during a rearing period of 3-14 weeks. Similarly breast, drumstick,
thigh, wing, neck, liver and head weight had no significant effect between the two dietary groups.
Profit per bird increased slightly with increasing level of the dietary energy densities. It was concluded
that a nutrient density of 3000 ME kcal/kg and 23% CP would be enough to optimize growth rate and
FCR of indigenous (desi) chickens in rural condition.
