Effect of dietary energy and protein levels on growth performance and carcass characteristics of native chicken (Aseel cross)

Introduction

Native chicken production is becoming popular in recent years due to higher demand for their meat and eggs. Free range and backyard systems are coupled with low input and low output systems. 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 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) [13] 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) [10] . 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), has a chicken variety from the local Aseel chicken population and its crosses. Hence, the present study was carried out to study the effect of dietary energy and protein levels on the carcass characteristics of 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 [8] (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 and carcass characteristics of native chicken variety was evaluated. 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

Growth Performance in 0-12 weeks of age

Body weight gain, FCR and livability data are presented in Table 3. 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) 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) [7] 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

Growth Performance in 0-16 weeks of age

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.

Carcass Characteristics

In the present study interaction of dietary energy and protein levels (Table 4 and5) did not influence slaughter weight, and processed carcass weight. Similarly, there was no significant differences in Organ weights like gizzard, liver and heart due to different dietary treatments. But high energy treatment groups T 2 (69%) and T 3 (68.85%) had significantly (p <0.005) higher dressing percentage than medium energy and low protein T 6 group. Similarly, Kamran et al., 2008 [11] found that there was no significant difference in breast meat yield, thigh yield and liver and heart weights. It may be mentioned that the carcass yield was not affected due to adequate levels of essential AA, particularly Lysine and Methionine in low CP diets because these two amino acids are exclusively used for protein accretion in the body (Si et al., 2001; Baker et al., 2002) [14,1] . However, Dozier and Moran (2001, 2002) [6,5] reported that feeding broiler diets formulated to contain suboptimum concentrations of CP and ME impaired the amount and yield of carcass parts. Slaughter weight, dressing percentage, carcass weight, liver weight was significantly (p <0.005) higher in birds fed high energy 2700 ME Kcal/Kg diet than low energy 2500 ME Kcal/Kg diet. Only liver weight was significantly (p <0.005) higher in medium energy 2600 ME Kcal/Kg diet than low energy diet. Organs like gizzard and heart did not show any effect due to different dietary energy levels. Birds fed with different levels of protein had no significant (p <0.005) effect on carcass weight, dressing percentage and weights of gizzard, liver, heart and intestines. Because of the low energy diets, feed intake is elevated, there is concomitant increase in crude protein intake and this situation is known to reduce fat deposition (Jackson et al., 1982) [10] . In contrast to this, Lesson et al., (1996) reported no differences in carcass and breast fillet weights in broilers fed gradient concentrations of ME. Due to interaction of energy and protein levels significant (p <0.005) effect was found only in neck and wings yield. Carcass parts like breast meat yield were significantly (p <0.005) higher in high energy treatment group (2700 ME Kcal / kg) than low energy treatment group whereas drumstick yield was higher in both high and low energy than medium energy. But, Marcu et al., (2013) [12] reported that high energy and protein diets increased yield of breast and thigh muscles whereas wings, drumsticks and other carcass parts head, neck, back and legs were reduced. For both genders, breast and drumstick were improved by energy level, but high energy reduced yield of wings in females (Infante-Rodriguez et al., 2016) [9] . Similarly, Zhao et al., (2008) [15] found that carcass, breast, thigh and abdominal fat were increased with dietary energy and lysine. 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 levels 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 with 14%, 13% CP for 12-16 weeks. 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. The study concluded that the birds fed with 2700 ME Kcal/Kg and17% CP during 0-12 weeks and 14% CP with same energy levels during 0-16 weeks had significantly higher dressing percentage. Also the high energy level diet showed significant difference in breast meat yield, wings and neck than other carcass cuts back and thigh.

Acknowledgement

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

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