Effects of regular maize and different certified maize varieties on the growth and carcass traits of broiler chickens

Abstract

The effects of Obatanpa, Abontem, and Honampa maize varieties or their mixture and regular maize on the growth performance of broiler chickens was evaluated over a 6-week experimental period using 180 cobb 500 broilers. There were 5 treatments arranged in a completely randomized design (CRD). The treatments were as follows: regular maize-based diet; Obatampa maize-based diet; Abontem maize-based diet; Honampa maize-based diet and a mixture of Obatanpa, Abontem, and Honampa maize varieties. Each treatment was replicated 5 times with 9 birds per replicate. Growth performance and carcass traits data were collected. The findings of the study revealed that the metabolize energy content of QPM and Regular maize was similar. Results showed that the nutritional composition of the maize varities used were similar to that of Regular maize, although maize varities tended have higher levels of crude protein and crude fat. Treatment effects after 7, 14, 21, and 28, 35 days was not significant for livability, body weight, weight gain, feed conversion ratio and feed intake. Abontem had the lowest FCR. However, the treatments did not affect livability and feed intake at the end of day 42. Obatanpa, Honampa, Abontem or their mixture influence growth performance at the initial stages of growth but did influence growth performance at the latter stages. Birds fed regular diet tended to consume more feed compared to the birds receiving QPM-based diet. The breast muscle yield of the chickens fed with regular maize diet was lower compared to those fed with QPM maize diet. However, higher breast meat yield and lower duodenal, jejunum and ileum weight were noticed in the diet in which QPM was used. Further, weights of breast, thigh, heart, duodenum, liver, gizzard, jejunum, ileum and caeca) expressed as % of live weight were not significant (p > 0.05) except proventriculus (p<0.05). It is concluded that Obatanpa, Abontem, and Honampa used in broiler feed improved the growth performance and carcass traits of the birds than regular maize.