Proximate Composition and Metabolizable Energy of Some Commercial Poultry Feeds Available in Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Poultry feeds are prepared to contain all the nutrients in their right proportions necessary for good health, proper growth and egg production of the chicken. This study was undertaken to determine the proximate composition and variations of nutrient in some commercial poultry feeds sold in Abuja, Nigeria. Seven poultry feed brands in their various ratios were subjected to proximate analysis using standard methods. The results of the analysis revealed that the poultry feeds had proximate composition ranging from 6.58 ± 0.02 - 10.88 ± 0.19 % moisture content, 6.03 ± 0.16 - 14.78 ± 0.73 % ash content, 9.98 ± 0.81 - 20.05 ± 0.08 % crude lipid, 3.57 ± 0.11 - 14.77 ± 0.14 % crude fiber, 16.55 ± 0.07 % - 34.01 ± 0.09 % crude protein, 26.28 ± 1.80 % - 48.21 ± 2.07 % carbohydrate and 2971.48 ± 65.44 - 3686.18 ± 29.08 Kcal/kg metabolizable energy. Generally, there were differences in the proximate composition of the poultry feed brands analyzed, however, the poultry feeds have optimum nutrients in their feeds which meet most of the requirements recommended by SON and NRC. The moisture contents in all the feeds were within the recommended value of not more than 12 % while the mean values obtained in crude lipid were all higher than the maximum recommended requirements in poultry feeds.