ABSTRACT

A 56 day study was conducted to evaluate the performance and economies ofsingle and two-phase diets in broiler production. A total of 72 day-old chicks were used for this study in a completely randomized design experiment. Two treatments (T1 and T2) were used for the experiment. T1 (two-phase diet) comprised 2 diets - DA and DB. DA served as starter feed which was fed for 4 weeks while DB was the finisher feed and was fed for the next 4 weeks. T2 comprised just one diet - De (single phase diet) which served as both starter and finisher feed. Diets DA had a crude protein content of 23.26%; metabolizable energy of 2981.11 kcal/kg; DB contained 21.2% crude protein; metabolizable energy (3007.71 kcal/kg) and diet C (De) had a crude protein content of 22.24%; metabolizable energy (2994.43 kcal/kg). Feed intake were calculated daily and average weight gain taken at the end of the week. Each of the two treatments had 3 replicates of 12 birds each. The performance of both groups of birds were statistically analyzed using the Students T-test. The two-phase starter diet performed significantly (P<0.05) better than the single diet in body weight gain and consumed more feed in the first week of the study but T2 converted feed better (P<0.05) than Tl. There was no influence on the birds by the diets in the 2nd and. 3rd weeks ofthe study. Feed intake of birds on the two-phase diet was significantly (P<0.05) higher than the single diet group in the 4th week. Body weight of birds fed the two-phase diet was also significantly (P<0.05) higher than the single diet group in the 5, 7 and 8111 weeks of the study. The treatments did not affect the carcass and organs significantly (P>0.05). Although the feed cost per bird was slightly lower in the single diet than the two-phase diet group, the revenue per bird and gross margin were significantly (P<0.05) higher in the two-phase diet than the single diet group. The results ofthis study therefore, indicated that the two- ' phase feeding regimen stands a better feeding program for broiler production.