Optimization of dietary energy and protein levels for growth performance in different age group of native Aseel cross chicken

Introduction

Traditionally, native chickens are the mainstay of poultry production in rural and tribal areas in the country. Mostly free range and backyard systems of production with little or no proper housing are followed for native chicken production across the country. Free range and backyard systems are coupled with low input and low output systems. Native chicken production is becoming popular in recent years due to higher demand for their meat and eggs. This can be attributed to their desirable flavour and perceived health benefits due to their slow growth, low fat content and lack of antimicrobial usage as growth promoters. Native chicken contributed about 14.4% to the total egg production of the country in the year 2016. However, their contribution reduced to 11.96% in 2017, 11.83% in 2018 and further 11.5% in 2019 (BAHS 2019) [1] . The decline in contribution of native chicken to total egg production is despite the fact that the population of native chickens increased from 106.7 million (2016) to 109.22 million (2019). Native chicken like Aseel is characterized by their hardiness and ability to thrive under adverse climatic conditions. Though their productivity is low, the birds are known for their meat quality with desirable taste and flavour (Rajkumar et al., 2016) [9] well known for its pugnacity, majestic gait, agility, high stamina, and dogged fighting qualities and eight variants of Aseel breed were reported in India. Expenditure on feeding alone accounts for about 70% of the operational cost of commercial poultry production. With the high cost of nutrients, efficiency of nutrient utilization for the production of edible protein is equally as important as performance or carcass protein composition in determining optimum energy levels (Jackson et al., 1981) [7] . Energy and protein requirements of Aseel varieties and its crosses could be different from those of layers and fast growing broilers. Requirement of protein may be less but requirement of energy might be high as native chicken like Aseel reared in free range and backyard systems. The College of Poultry Production and Management at Hosur (CPPM), is developing a chicken variety from the local Aseel chicken population and its crosses. Hence, the present study was carried out to optimize dietary energy and protein requirements for the newly developing native chicken variety at CPPM, Hosur.

Materials and Methods

Experimental Design

A sum of 540 day old chicks of the native chicken variety were received from CPPM, Hosur and were individually weighed, wing banded and distributed randomly into nine treatments for three different levels of energy with three levels of protein and six replicates for each treatment. The experimental design was 3x3 factorial design. Experimental diets were formulated to provide similar nutrients content according to the nutrient requirement suggested by ICAR 2013 [6] (except protein and energy levels).

Phase I (0-12 weeks of age)

All the chicks were randomly distributed to nine dietary treatments (54 replicates of 10 birds in each). Nine dietary treatments with three levels of energy (2500, 2600, 2700 kcal ME/Kg) each with three levels of protein (16, 17, 18 per cent crude protein/ kg diet) following 3 x 3 factorial design were formulated. Each dietary treatment was offered to six replicated groups of 10 chicks each kept in deep litter management. The feed ingredients were analysed for proximate principles while those of mixed feeds were calculated. Feed consumption and body weight were recorded on weekly basis for each treatment. Difference between the initial and final body weight gain chicks over the period and accordingly the feed conversion ratio (FCR) for each treatment was calculated. The ingredient and calculated nutrient composition of diets for starter phase is given in the Table 1.

Phase II (12-16 weeks of age)

After twelve weeks of age, the birds were provided with grower diets with three levels of energy (2700, 2600, 2500 kcal ME) each with three levels of Protein (14, 13, 12 per cent crude protein/ kg diet) from 12 to16 weeks of age. The ingredient and calculated nutrient composition of diets for grower phases are given in the Table 2. During 0-16 weeks of experimental period, the growth performance of native chicken variety was evaluated by recording livability, body weight, feed intake (FI), and body weight gain (BWG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were calculated. The experimental data was analysed statistically according to the methods described by Snedecor and Cochran. The data was analysed statistically by two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SPSS statistical software. The significant mean differences between the treatments were determined at p <0.05 using Turkey's multiple comparison test various parameters to draw meaningful conclusions.

Results and Discussion

3.1 Growth Performance in 0-4 and 4-8 weeks of age Growth performance of native chicken variety chicks (Aseel cross) during 0-8 week of age is presented in Table 3. The juvenile body weight gain ranges from 101 g to 119 g at 4 weeks of age. There was no significant (p <0.005) difference in body weight gain and feed conversion ratio during 0-4 weeks. Feed consumption is mainly affected by energy and protein content of the diet. The FCR was around 5.0 among the different energy and protein levels of the treatment groups. The growth appears to be slow in this variety during the early period of life and birds continued to grow up to 40 weeks of age (Rajkumar et al., 2016) [9] . During 4-8 weeks of age when compared to other treatment groups T 5 , T 6 , T 8 had significantly (p <0.005) lower FCR than other groups. Though higher BWG was observed among the treatments, only T 5 &T 6 (2600 ME Kcal/Kg) had significant (p <0.005) difference than other treatments. This coincides with the Sizemore et al., (1993) [12] observations that birds receiving the lower density starter diets were significantly lighter than those fed the higher density diets at 3 week of age whereas at 7 week of age no treatment differences in BWG were apparent. The FCR and body weight gain of chicks did not change significantly during 0-4 weeks due to different energy and protein levels, similarly there was no significant (p <0.005) difference due to interaction between energy and protein in the same period. BWG and FCR of chicks was significantly (p <0.005) higher in 2600 ME Kcal/Kg during the period 4-8 weeks than other energy levels of 2600 ME Kcal/Kg and 2500 ME Kcal/Kg but there was no difference in different protein level treatments. This is in contrast with the findings of Mandal et al., (2016) [8] who found that significantly higher BWG and FCR were recorded in Aseel chicks fed 18% CP diet than 16% CP during 0-4 weeks and 4-8 weeks. The reason might be that the birds provided low CP and Low ME had increased feed consumption for compensation.

Growth Performance in 8-12 and 12-16 weeks of age

BWG was observed significantly (p <0.005) higher in T 1 (454.4 g), T 2 (460.4 g) and T 4 (459.5 g) groups than other energy and protein interaction groups of 8-12 weeks age but there was no significant difference in FCR in the 8-12 weeks. During 12-16 weeks of age although BWG of birds in T 1 (466.5 g) fed 2700 ME Kcal/Kg and 14% CP was significantly (p <0.005) higher than the T 7 and T 8 , T 9 treatments but they were not significantly heavier than the birds in T 2 , T 3 , T 4 , T 5 , T 6 . FCR was found to be better in T 1 , T 2 and significantly (p <0.005) higher than the T 7 , T 8 , T 9 treatment groups. This agrees with results of Rajpura et al., (2010) [10] who observed that crossbreds fed with diet containing higher energy (2900) irrespective of protein content of the diet had highest BW, weight gain and FCR. Though there was no significant (p <0.005) difference in FCR of both different energy and protein levels during 8-12 weeks, BWG was significantly (p <0.005) higher in high energy level of 2700 ME Kcal/Kg diet with 18% and 17% protein than the lowest energy (2500 ME Kcal/Kg diet) and protein level (16%) diets in the same period. This is in concurrence with the results of Mandal et al., (2016) [8] who found that significantly (p <0.005) higher BWG and better FCR was noticed in chicks fed 2700 ME Kcal/Kg and 18% CP than those fed 2500 ME Kcal/Kg and 16% CP. Weight gain was linearly decreased whereas FCR were increased linearly with the reduction in dietary ME and CP levels during the 12-16 weeks period. Similarly, BWG in T 1 (466.4 g), T 2 (462.1 g), and FCR of T 1 (5.93), T 2 (5.84) were found to be significant (p <0.005) effect in both high energy (2700, ME Kcal/Kg) and high protein (14%) level diets than medium and low energy (2500 ME Kcal/Kg) and low protein (12%) level diets at 12-16 weeks of age. This is similar to the findings of Mandal et al., (2016) [8] states that body weight and BWG at 20 weeks significantly differ due to protein levels and values were higher at 14% CP level. NRC (1994) has also suggested 14% CP for growing pullet (12-18 weeks) of brown egg laying strain.

Growth

Performance in 0-12 and 0-16 weeks of age Body weight gain, FCR and livability data are presented in Table 4. The energy and protein levels were different during 0-12 weeks of age to all treatment groups, the results indicated that no significant (p <0.005) difference were observed on BWG and FCR of birds due to interaction of energy and protein levels. Similarly, Chawla et al., (1978) [4] observed no significant effect on BW or FCR of chicks up to 20 weeks of age with graded levels of energy (2000, 2400, 2700 or 3000 Kcal ME /Kg). In the present study supplementation of limiting amino acids in the treatment diets might be the reason for similar growth and FCR between the different treatments. But 0-16 weeks period showed significant (p <0.005) difference in BWG of T 1 (1323 g) T 2 (1330 g), T 4 (1330 g), and T 5 (1315 g) than T 9 (1178 g). FCR was significantly (p <0.005) lower between the treatments T 1 to T 6 (4.59 to 4.74) than T 9 (5.19). Similarly BWG was found to be significantly (p <0.005) higher in treatments of T 1 , T 2 , T 4 and T 5 than lowest energy and protein treatment (2500 ME Kcal/Kg and 12% CP). Saxena and Thakur (1985) [11] did not observe any difference in weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion efficiency of commercial egg type pullets up to 8 weeks of age due to dietary proteins levels of 18%, 20% and also by feeding 14%,16%,18% CP for growing pullets (12-18 week). The BWG and FCR of birds had no significant (p <0.005) differences during 0-12 weeks in different energy and protein level diets. Hidalgo et al., (2004) [5] also found that weight gain and FCR were adversely affected when the broilers were fed diets formulated to contain sub optimum concentrations of ME and CP. Then requirement of energy and protein might be sufficient for the initial phase of 0-12 weeks During 0-16 weeks as a whole period of marketing age is considered energy levels of 2700, 2600 ME Kcal/Kg and protein levels of 14%, 13% CP had significant (p <0.005) effect on BWG and FCR than the lowest energy level (2500 ME Kcal/Kg) and protein level (12% CP) diets. The BW recorded up to 16 weeks was comparable and higher than the findings of Chatterjee et al., (2007) [3] in Aseel chickens. Higher BW might be due to crosses of Aseel with Non descriptive chickens in this study. Conversely Chandra Deo et al., (2013) [2] suggested dietary energy level of 2500 ME Kcal/Kg with 14% CP for growing kadaknath pullets during 12-20 weeks of age. These levels energy and protein might be sufficient due to comparatively smaller size of kadaknath than Aseel type birds.

Livability

The mortality/Livability was higher in T 1 , T 2 , T 3 , T 4 , T 5 and T 8 and only T 3 and T 4 were significantly higher (p <0.005) than T 6 , T 7 and T 9 treatment groups. Similarly, there was significantly (p <0.005) higher survivability noticed in high dietary energy 2500 ME Kcal/Kg diet than medium and low energy diets. Birds fed with medium protein levels 17 and 13% had significantly higher survival rate. other supplements included at 0.60 per cent which includes AB2D3K @ 0.02%, Phytase @ 0.006%, Choline chloride @ 0.07%, US curatox @ 0.10%, NSP enzyme @ 0.05%, Meriplex powder @ 0.010% and Ultra [email protected]% & sodium bicarbonate @0.1%. other supplements included at 0.66 per cent which includes UltraviteM @ 0.25%, AB2D3K @ 0.02%, Pytase@ 0.006%, Choline chloride @ 0.07%, US curatox @ 0.10%, NSP enzyme @ 0.05%, Meriplex powder @ 0.014%, liver tonic@ 0.01%. & sodium bicarbonate @0.1%.

Conclusion

Body weight gain and feed conversion was not influenced by different energy and protein level diets for this native chicken variety up to 0-12 weeks but for 0-16 weeks significantly higher BWG and better FCR was found in birds fed with 2700 and 2600 ME Kcal/Kg with 18%, 17% CP for 0-12 weeks and the same energy level with 14%, 13% CP for 12-16 weeks. It was concluded that the dietary energy level of 2700 ME Kcal/Kg with CP 17% and the same energy level with 13% CP were optimum for better growth performance of native chicken variety during 0-12 weeks and 12-16 weeks respectively.

Acknowledgement

AcknowledgmentThe authors would like to acknowledge the support extended by Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai in completing the research.

References

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