ABSTRACT

This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of substituting fish meal with maggot meal in broiler (starter) diet. One hundred and twenty day old broiler chicks were used in the study which lasted for five weeks. The birds were randomly assigned into 4 treatments (Ti, T2, T3, and T4) that were replicated three times with 10 birds pe replicate. Ti, T2, T3 and T4 had fish meal protein replaced with 0%, 25%, 50% and 100% maggot meal protein. Parameters measured were initial weight, final weight, Daily weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio. The values obtained in treatments 1,2, 3 and 4 for feed intake per bird per day (g) where 48.16, 49.07, 46.32 and 49.05, respectively. 11.72, 12.57, 10.87 and 11.43 where the values obtained for weight gain per bird per day (g) in the treatments. The feed conversion ratio values obtained for the treatments, where 3.68, 3.42, 4.07 and 3.85, respectively. The result shows that replacement of 100% of fish meal protein with maggot meal protein had no significant effect on both the weight gain and feed intake per bird per day. While for the feed conversion ratio, replacement of 25% of fish meal protein with maggot meal3 protein appeared to give the best result. There was no significant difference in feed conversion ratio between bird fed 100% fish meal protein and those in which 100% fish meal protein was replaced by 100% maggot meal protein. Taking all the parameters measured into consideration it could appear that in broiler starter diet, 100% of the protein from fish meal could be replaced by 100% of maggot meal without any adverse effects on their performance.