ABSTRACT 

This experiment was conducted to determine the best time to introduce finisher diets in the humid tropics. Four treatments (3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th week) were tried in this study that lasted for 9 weeks. A total of one hundred and eighty birds were used for the experiment. The birds were randomly assigned into 4 treatments that were replicated three times with 15 birds in each replicate. The following were measured, growth performance, carcass quality and cost benefit analysis. On growth performance, the result of body weight in grams were as follows 2523.33±95.39, 2603.46±7.45, 2605.08±94.25 and 2724.08±60.22 representing TWK 3, TWK 4, TWK 5 and TWK 6 respectively. The result of average weight gain in grams showed that it increased from TWK 3 to TWK 6 as follows, 2476.33±95.34, 2556.46±7.46, 2558.08±94.25 and 7.677.08±60.22. The average feed efficiency also increased from TWK 3 to TWK 6 as follow 0.36±0.01, 0.37±0.00, 0.38±0.01 and 0.39±0.01. Feed intake, feed conversion ratio were also measured but non of these parameters were significant (P<0.05). On carcas analysis, the following parameters were measured, the liver, the gizzard, the heart, the shank, the head and the neck expressed as percentage of body weight and the dressing percentage. All except the neck and the head were not significant 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

CHAPTER TITLE PAGE 

Dedication .. 

Acknowledgement .. 

List Of Tables .. 

Table of Contents ..

Abstract .. 

1. INTRODUCTION ..

1.10 Background and Objective of Study 

2. LITERATURE REVIEW .

2.10 State of Poultry Production in Nigeria 3 

2.20 Attempt to improve poultry Production in Nigeria 

2.30 Protein Requirement Studies ..

2.40 Energy Requirement Studies ..

2.50 Time of Change from broiler starter to finisher diets. .. .. 

3. MATERIALS AND METHODS .. 10 3.10 Experimental Design .. 

3.20 Management of Experiment birds .. 

3.30 Experimental Diet .. 

3.40 Carcass QualityDetermination .. 

3.50 Statistical Analysis .. 

4. RESULT.S AND DISCUSSION .. 

4.10 Growth Performance .. 

4.20 Carcass Quality .. 

4.30 Cost Benefit Analysis ..

 CONCLUSION ..