Effect of partial water deprivation on the performance and carcass characteristics of broler chickens exposed to selected durations of water deprivation in the humid tropical environment

Abstract

A study was conducted to assess the effects of partial water deprivation on the biologic performance and carcass qualities of broiler chickens raised in a humid tropical environment. There were 2 experiments involving the use of 280 and 500 broiler chickens of mixed sexes respectively. These birds were raised to 4 weeks of age and then subjected to selected durations of water deprivation treatments which lasted for 2 and 5 weeks respectively. Water deprivation exposure had no significant effect (P>0.05) on body weight, weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio and mortality following 2 weeks of treatment in the first experiment. However, in the second experiment, when the birds were exposed to longer period of water deprivation (5 weeks), body weight and water consumption were significantly affected (P<0.05) by treatments. But weight gain, feed intake, EFU, water/feed ratio and efficiency of water utilization were not affected. Depriving birds of water for 6 and 8 hours daily did not adversely depress dressing percentages. Weights of some body parts were affected by the partial water deprivation treatments. Organ weights (liver, gizzard, heart and spleen) were generally depressed by water deprivation. Treatments did not seem to affect the chemical composition of the meat. However the dry matter and moisture contents of the meat tended to vary inversely as the intensity of water deprivation increased.

Keywords: Partial water deprivation; broiler chickens; performance; carcass; characteristics.


(Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences: 2002 9(1): 1-6)