Response of Finisher Broiler Fed Dietary Levels of Cattle Rumen Content

The study was conducted to evaluate the performance, carcass and organs characteristics of broiler chickens fed varying dietary levels of cattle rumen content.A total of eighty four pieces of four weeks old Ross 308 broiler birds were used in this experiment,these birds were randomly assigned to four treatment groups in a completely randomized design involving group A= birds on 0% cattle rumen content, B= birds on 5% cattle rumen content meal, C= birds on 10% cattle rumen content meal and D= birds on 15% cattle rumen content meal. Each treatment group was replicated trice to obtain a total of 12 replicates of 7 birds each. The chickens were randomly assigned to experimental pens of 1m x 1m each and raised in a deep liter system of management. Feed and water were provided ad-libitum, proper routine management practices and medications was strictly adopted. The trial lasted for twenty eight (28) days. The results of the performance of the experiment showed no significant difference (P> 0.05) was observed among all the treatments for average final weight. However, daily feed intake and daily weight gaindecreased significantly (P< 0.05) for the birds on groupD.In same manner, there was a significant decrease(P< 0.05) in the feed conversion ratio as cattle rumen content increased in the feeds of the birds in group B, C and D when compared to the control birds. The carcass characteristics showed no significant difference (P> 0.05) among all the parameters considered except for theeviscerated weight of the birds on group D which was significantly lower than other treatment groups (P< 0.05).for the organ characteristics, no significant differences (P> 0.05) were observed among all the parameters considered except for the liver in which the birds on treatment group B had decreased value when compared to the control (P< 0.05).In conclusion, the findings of the study is an evidence that cattle rumen content can be incorporated in finisher broilers diets upto 15% without compromising the growth performance of the birds.