Production performance of broiler chickens fed mash and pelleted pearl millet-based diets

Abstract

This study investigated the production performance of broiler chickens (Cobb-500) fed on mash and pelleted pearl millet-based diets. A completely randomised experimental design with a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments was used. Two feed processing methods (grinding and pelleting) and three replacement levels (50%, 75%, and 100%) were evaluated. A commercial diet (0% pearl millet) was used as a control diet. The pearl millet-based finisher diets were formulated to be iso-nitrogenous (17% crude protein) and iso-caloric (11.5 MJ ME/kg); however, the 75% and 100% pearl millet-based diets had higher crude protein (16% and 16.7%, respectively) and crude fat (6.76% and 8.1%, respectively) concentrations than the maize-based diet (15% crude protein and 4.48% fat). Pelleting substantially increased the crude protein content when maize was replaced with pearl millet at 50% (from 140 g/kg to 164 g/kg) and at 75% (from 160 g/kg to 169 g/kg). Pelleting had no marked effects on the crude protein content of the total replacement (100%) diet. Pelleting negatively influenced the calcium and fat contents of the broiler diets. Replacement of maize with pearl millet grains did not substantially affect the live body weights, weight gains, or feed conversion ratios of the broilers. Pelleting also had no marked impact on the performance of the broiler chickens. Based on the findings of this study, pearl millet can replace maize up to 100% in broiler diets. Pearl millet-based diets can successfully be pelleted, without adverse effects on the feeding value and growth performance of broilers.