Effect of beak trimming at different ages on growth performance of Kadaknath chickens under intensive rearing system

Introduction

Kadaknath chicken is an important indigenous breed of India known for its adaptability, disease resistance, and superior meat quality. Under intensive management conditions, various behavioral and managemental factors influence the productive performance of birds. Beak trimming is a widely adopted management practice used to reduce feed wastage and improve productive efficiency in poultry production systems (Acharya and Kumar) [1] . Previous studies have demonstrated that beak trimming influences body weight, feed intake, and feed conversion efficiency. Gentle (1986) [2] reported temporary reductions in feed intake following beak trimming due to behavioral adaptation. Blokhuis et al. (1987) [3] observed significantly lower feed consumption and body weight in beak-trimmed birds, whereas Deaton et al. (1987) [4] reported reduced feed intake and improved feed utilization efficiency in trimmed pullets. Craig and Lee (1990) [5] further reported improved productive efficiency in beak-trimmed birds due to reduced feed wastage. The age at which beak trimming is performed has also been shown to influence productive performance. Bell and Kuney (1991) [6] observed that the age of beak trimming significantly affected subsequent growth and feed utilization. Carey (1990) [7] and Carey and Lassister (1995) [8] reported that beak trimming at different ages influenced body weight and feed efficiency during the growing and laying periods. Similarly, Honaker and Ruszler (2004) [9] observed improved feed utilization efficiency in birds trimmed at hatch compared with intact birds. Recent investigations have demonstrated that beak trimming positively influences feed conversion efficiency and productive performance. Damme and Urselmans (2013) [10] reported that beak trimming reduced feed wastage and improved feed efficiency. Vieira Oka et al. (2017) [11] , Pelicia et al. (2019) [12] , Petrolli et al. (2017) [13] , and Baggio et al. (2020) [14] also observed improved productive performance and feed utilization efficiency in beaktrimmed birds. However, information regarding the effect of beak trimming on the growth performance of indigenous Kadaknath chickens remains limited. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of beak trimming at different ages on body weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio of Kadaknath chickens under intensive rearing conditions.

Materials and Methods

Location of experiment

The present experiment was conducted at the Poultry Demonstration and Experimental Unit, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Anjora, Durg, Chhattisgarh.

Experimental birds and management

A total of 300 day-old Kadaknath chicks were randomly distributed into five treatment groups comprising three replicates of 20 birds each under a completely randomized design. The birds were reared under intensive management conditions up to 20 weeks of age. Feed and water were provided ad libitum throughout the experimental period.

Experimental treatments

The experimental birds were randomly assigned to five treatment groups. Birds in the control group (T0) were maintained without beak trimming, whereas birds in the treatment groups were subjected to beak trimming at different ages, namely day 1 (T1), day 7 (T2), day 49 (T3), and day 84 (T4). Beak trimming was performed using a hotblade debeaker operated at a temperature range of 650-750 °C. In chicks subjected to beak trimming at day 1 and day 7, only the tip of the beak was cauterized, whereas in birds trimmed at day 49 and day 84, approximately 2 mm of both the upper and lower beaks were removed (Fig. 1 and2).

Growth performance parameters

Growth performance of Kadaknath chickens was evaluated by recording body weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio throughout the experimental period. Body weight gain was calculated by recording individual body weight at weekly intervals. Feed intake was determined by measuring feed offered and subtracting feed residue and wastage. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was calculated as the ratio of feed consumed to body weight gain and was expressed as grams of feed consumed per gram of body weight gain.

Statistical analysis

The experimental data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance under a completely randomized design.

The significance of differences among treatment means was tested using Duncan's multiple range test at P<0.05.

Results and Discussion

Effect of beak trimming on body weight gain

The overall body weight gain recorded in T0, T1, T2, T3, and T4 was 793, 707, 722, 735, and 714 g, respectively.

Although weekly variations were observed, the overall body weight gain among treatment groups was statistically nonsignificant. The reduction in body weight gain observed in beak-trimmed birds may be attributed to temporary stress and altered feeding behavior immediately after trimming. Similar observations have been reported earlier (Gentle, 1986; Blokhuis et al., 1987; Deaton et al., 1987; Angevaare et al., 2012) [2,3,4,15] , who observed reduced body weight gain in beak-trimmed birds during the early growth period.

Effect of beak trimming on feed intake

The cumulative feed intake of birds in T0, T1, T2, T3, and T4 was 4042, 3677, 3574, 3752, and 3736 g, respectively. Feed intake was comparatively higher in control birds than in beak-trimmed birds. The reduced feed intake observed in beak-trimmed birds may be attributed primarily to reduced feed wastage rather than reduced nutrient consumption. Blokhuis et al. (1987) [3] reported approximately 13.3% lower feed consumption in beak-trimmed birds compared with intact birds. Deaton et al. (1987) [4] also observed significantly lower feed intake in beak-trimmed pullets. Similar findings were reported by Honaker and Ruszler (2004) [9] , Petrolli et al. (2017) [13] , Oka et al. (2017) [11] and Pelicia et al. (2019) [12] .

Effect of beak trimming on feed conversion ratio

The overall feed conversion ratio was [3,5,9,10,11,12,13] .

Conclusion

The present investigation demonstrated that beak trimming influenced growth performance and feed utilization efficiency of Kadaknath chickens under intensive rearing conditions. Although body weight gain was numerically lower in beak-trimmed birds, the overall differences were non-significant. Beak trimming reduced feed intake and improved feed conversion efficiency. Birds subjected to beak trimming at 49 days of age exhibited comparatively superior growth performance and feed utilization efficiency. Therefore, beak trimming at 49 days of age may be recommended as an effective management practice for intensive rearing of Kadaknath chickens.

Acknowledgement

AcknowledgementThe authors are thankful to the Dean, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Anjora, Durg,

References

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