Optimizing energy requirements of broiler chickens reared at high altitude during autumn

Abstract

An experiment was conducted in the months of August to September to optimize dietary metabolizable energy (ME) needs of coloured broilers at Mukteshwar, Uttrakhand (8000 ft high from sea level). Unsexed day-old Caribro Dhanraja coloured broilers chicks (n=192) were divided into 12 groups of 16 each in each pen on deep litter. Two experimental diets with two levels of energy (2800 and 3000 kcal ME/kg diet) were formulated for each starting and finishing growth phase. The protein (21.0 and 18.2%), lysine (1.20 and 1.00), methionine (0.50 and 0.42%), calcium (1.20 and 1.10%) and available phosphorus (0.50 and 0.40%) in starting and finishing phases respectively were similar in both the dietary treatments. The gain in body weight did not differ during starting growth phase (0–3 wk) as well as during 0–7 wk age while differed significantly during 3–6, 3–7 and 0–6 wk period. Live weight gains were significantly higher in broilers fed 3000 kcal energy during 3–6, 3–7 and 0–6 wk of age. Feed intake though remained lower in high energy level but differed statistically during 0–3 weeks of age only. Feed conversion ratio differed during 3–6 and 0–6 weeks of age and was lower in birds fed high energy diet. Therefore, the results indicated that a diet containing 3000 kcal ME/kg for overall phase was suitable for broilers on high altitude of about 8000 ft during August to September.