EFFECT OF INCLUSION OF SUGAR BEET PULP IN THE DIETS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF BROILER CHICKENS

The current research aimed to study the effect of adding sugar beet pulp (SBP) to the diet on Cobb broiler chickens performance. A total number of 252 unsexed five day old Cobb chicks, which were first fed the control diet from 0 to 4 days were used. The birds were banded in the wing, weighed individually in gram at 5 days, randomly distributed equally into 7 dietary treatment groups (0.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0, 12.5 and 15.0% SBP), 36 birds each (3 replicates /12 birds each). Birds fed diet containing 5.0% SBP showed significantly higher value of LBW at 42 days and BWG through the period 5-42 days, but, birds fed 0.0% SBP (control diet) had lower values. With noting that all treatments were significantly higher LBW and BWG at the same ages compared to control. Cobb broiler chicks fed 0.0% SBP (control diet) showed significantly lower FI during the period 5-42 days, while, birds fed 12.5% SBP had significantly higher value, moreover, insignificant effects were noticed in FCR, CPC and CCR over the period from 5 to 42 days. Birds fed 5% SBP had higher GR over the period from 5 to 42 days (differences in GR between birds fed 5.0, 7.5, 10.0, 12.5 and 15.0% SBP were not significant). Blood parameters% were insignificantly affected except, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration%. Insignificant effects were noticed in slaughter parameters%, except, gizzard%. Birds fed 10.0% SBP had higher gizzard%, but, those fed 0.0% SBP had the lower value. The mortality rate was 2.78% in chicks fed control diet or 2.5% SBP, but, it was 0.0% in the other groups during the total period. Economical and relative efficiency values improved over the total period in birds fed all experimental diets except those fed 2.5% SBP, as compared to birds fed a control diet.