Effect of Cow Dung Based Biogas Energy on the Performance of Starter Broiler Chicks

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the Poultry Unit of Imo State University Teaching and Research Farm to evaluate the effect of different sources of farm energy (Heat) on the performance of starter broiler chicks. The 28-day experiment involved ninety day old Anak broiler chicks shared into three treatments (T1, T2, T3) and assigned to Biogas energy (BE), charcoal energy (CE) and kerosene energy (KE) respectively. The experiment was replicated three times in a completely randomized design. Commercial broiler starter feed and potable water were supplied to the birds ad libitum, while standard management practices such as cleanliness of the pens, routine vaccination and medication were adopted. Performance parameters measured initial weight, final weight, and feed intake from which weight gain, feed conversion ratio and cost benefit analysis were calculated. Results show significant difference (P<0.05) between the final liveweight of birds raised on biogas energy 638.38g, the birds on charcoal energy 631.67g and those on kerosene energy 568.33g, showing superiority of T1 over other treatments. The cost benefit analysis also show that biogas is cost effective and significantly cheaper ( P<0.05) than kerosene sources of farm energy.
Keywords: Cow dung, Biogas, Heat energy, Broiler Chicken, Performance


Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences Vol. 4 (2) 2006: pp. 103-107