CARCASS YIELD AND ORGANS CHARACTERISTICS OF BROILER CHICKENS FED DIETS CONTAINING GRADED LEVELS OF RICE MILLING WASTE AS REPLACEMENT FOR WHEAT OFFAL

Abstract

This experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm, Department of Animal Production, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi to investigate the carcass yield and organs characteristics of broiler chickens fed white maize and full fat soya beans-based diets containing graded levels of rice milling waste (RMW) as replacement for wheat offal. Five isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets were formulated in which rice milling waste replaced wheat offal at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% in diets 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively in both starter (23% CP) and finisher (20% CP). Three hundred (300) day old chicks were randomly allotted to the five diets in four replicates of fifteen birds each in a completely randomized design. Feed and water were given ad libitum and the experiment lasted for eight weeks. Proximate composition of the test material (RMW) indicated that it contains 94.12 Dry Matter, 5.21 Crude Protein, 31.40 Crude Fibre,3.42 Ether Extract, 20.13 Ash and 39.84 Nitrogen Free Extract. Most of the carcass parameters observed were not statistically influenced by the dietary levels of RMW, except on head (2.95 – 5.50g), legs (4.51 – 5.53g), large intestine length (3.20 – 5.37g) and gizzards (2.26 – 2.73g) which were significantly (P<0.05) affected. However, values of live, plucked and carcass weights ranged between 1256.33-1380.51g, 1087.88-1231.47g and 863.12-1064.19g, respectively, while that of dressing percentages were between 65.35-78.77%. It was concluded that rice milling waste can replace 100 % of wheat offal as fibre source in the diets of broiler chickens without adverse effects on the carcass yield and organs characteristics. It was therefore recommended for use in broiler chickens’ diets to reduce cost of production and over dependance on the conventional wheat offal.