Performance of two strains of growing pullets offered free choice of diets.

Abstract

PERFORMANCE OF TWO STRAINS OF GROWING PULLETS OFFERED FREE CHOICE OF DIETS I.M. MASTLKA* An experiment the performance of design with 2 x 2 and each treatment was conducted to study the effect of choice feeding on two strains of growing pullets. A complete randomized x 2 factorial arrangement was used in this experiment consisted of 4 replicates. Three hundred and twenty 8-week old birds of two strains (one hundred and sixty birds of Super Harco or Hi-line) were divided into thirty two groups of ten birds each and were fed either a complete mash (14.6% CP; 12.13 Mj ME/kg) or a choice of diets (concentrate 27.3% CP; 8.84 Mj/kg and corn). Birds were also offered either insoluble grit (sand) or soluble grit (oyster shell) in a separate container. The results of the experiment indicated strain differences, but body weight, weight gain, feed consumption and feed conversion ratio of the birds of the* same strain at 20 weeks of age were not affected by the systems of feeding or grit supplementation. However, Super Harco birds consumed significantly more feed (32.8%), had 43.1% higher body weight and 48.7% higher weight gain than Hi-line birds (p <0.05). Birds of Super Harco or Hi-line strains offered a choice of diets consumed as much energy as the birds fed a complete mash diet. Fur thermore, in a choice situation, Hi-line birds consumed as much protein as the birds fed a complete mash diet, however, the Super Harco birds consumed significantly more protein (11.7%)'than those fed a complete mash diet (p ~0.05). ADepartment of Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Animal Husbandry, University of Udayana, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia.