Abstract

Walter Amu, George Ayade, Ekanem Okon

This study was conducted to evaluate the growth performance, dressing percent and carcass composition, organ weights and cost-return analysis of broiler chickens fed methionine-fortified blood meal as replacement for fish meal. Two hundred and ten day-old hybro broiler chicks were allotted to 21 floor pens with 10 birds per pen. Seven experimental diets were formulated for starter and finisher phases respectively. Diets 1 (positive control) and 2 (negative control) contained 3% fish meal and 3% blood meal respectively. Diets 3 to 7 contained 3% blood meal each with 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5% methionine fortifications, respectively. Each diet was fed as mash to birds in 3 pens in completely randomized design. Results of growth performance showed no significant (p>0.05) differences in average daily feed intake, average daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio but mortality revealed significant (p0.05). Significant (p<0.05) differences were observed in the moisture, crude protein, ether extract, ash and nitrogen free extract contents for breast and thigh muscles. Cost-return analysis revealed significant (p<0.05) differences in total variable cost, total revenue, gross margin and returns on investment. In conclusion, 3% blood meal with up to 0.5% methionine fortification can favourably replace 3% fish meal as an animal protein source for broilers.