Morphometric traits in arbor-acres broiler chicken (Gallus gallus)fed graded levels of cocoa bean shell meal

Abstract

Fifty sixth day morphometric and body weight measurements were taken on one hundred and forty eight Arbor Acres broiler chickens reared under the Deep Litter system in the guinea savana Zone of Nigeria. This study aimed to determine the effects of substituting treated and untreated Cocoa Bean Shell (CBS) at 50 and 100% inclusion levels for Wheat bran (WB) on final live  weight and morphometric body measurements. Data were taken from birds that were randomly allotted into five different isocaloric and isonitrogenous diet treatments (T) replicated threetimes with graded levels of CBS substituted for WB (0% replacement of WB by CBS was the control, T (50% untreated CBS), T (50% treated by boiling CBS), T (100 2 3 4 %untreated)and T (100% replacement of wheat bran with treated CBS). Data 5  obtained were analysed with one way ANOVA using SAS (2004) software at 5% probability level and means compared with the Duncan's New Multiple Range Test option of the software. Results showed that, T with 50 % replacement with  treated(by 3 boiling)CBS performed best in terms of body weight (3143 ± 0.08 g)at p <0.05 although with no significant difference with the value in the control(0 % replacement) (3089±0.06 g) andT 50 %   untreated(3070±0.08 2 kg)respectively.Body length ranged between 41.60 ±0.34 (100 % replacement with untreated CBS) and 42.24 ± 0.34 cm(50 % treated CBS) although no significant difference (p>0.05) was detected across all the treatments for this trait. The values forchest circumference ranged between 37.53 ± 0.37 cm (lowest) in 100 % replacement with untreated CBS and 39.13 ± 0.27 cm (significantly highest (p < 0.05). The values forshank length ranged between 8.25±0.16 and 8.65 ± 0.15 cm
with no significant difference (p>0.05) between the treatment groups. Other traits with no significant differences (p > 0.05) across all the treatmentsand their ranges in parenthesis are wing length (21.38 ± 0.25 and 21.97± 0.21 cm); head length (7.72 ± 0.13 and 8.04± 0.15 cm); neck length (14.13± 0.40 and 14.67±0.19 cm) and beak length (2.47 ±0.04 to 2.56 ± 0.04). Other traits that showed significant differences (p < 0.05) across treatment groups include, thigh length with T showing 2 highest value  (20.98 ± 0.18 cm) and the lowest value was recorded in T  (19.83±0.30 cm). Comb length also ranged between lowest in T  (3.91±0.28 cm) and highest 5 inT (5.00± 0.34 cm). The longest Toe length was recorded in T (8.20 ± 0.11) while 3 2 the  shortest was recorded in T The results from this study  indicated thattreated CBS 5 meal at inclusion level of 50% in replacement for WB is a good substitute for WB with no negative effects on the body morphology in Arbor Acres broiler chicken.

Key words: morphometric traits, Cocoa Bean Shell, Arbor-Acres, broiler chicken