The effect of diet dilution with sand and wheat bran during 8-28 days of age on broiler performance , carcass characteristics and feed cost

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of diet dilution with sand 
and wheat bran in the starter period of age ( 8 to 28d ) on performance , 
carcass characteristics and feed cost , in a completely randomized design . 
The experiment consisted of 4 treatments . 4 replicates , with 8 chicks per 
cach replicate . To dilute the diets four levels ( 0 , 10 , 15 , and 20 % ) of 
sand and wheat bran ( 50:50 ) were used . Chicks were fed with pre - starter 
diet from 0-7 days of age . The diluted diets were offered to the chicks from 
8-28 days old . During the finisher period chicks were fed common finisher 
diet . Feed and water were allowed ad libirum to all birds . During the 
experiment feed intake , body weight gain , and feed conversion ratio were 
measured weekly . Feed cost was calculated at the end of the experiment ( 
48 days of age ) . At the end of the experiment two chicks each replicate 
were selected and carcass characteristics were measured . Comparing 
mean levels of diet dilution with control chicks showed that feed intake in 
different levels of dilution was more than controls ( p < 0.05 ) but there was 
no significant difference between 10 and 15 % levels of dilution and the 
control . Also there was no significant difference between 10 and 15 % 
dilution levels and the control in weight gain , live body weight , and feed 
conversion ratio at 28 day old of age . Due to compensatory growth after 
restriction period , there was no significant difference in feed intake , 
weight gain , and feed conversion ratio among restricted chicks and the 
controls at 48 - day - old , despite that feed intake in different levels of 
dilution was more than that of control chicks . Feed cost of the diluted diets 
was 6.29 % . 9.86 % , and 12.59 % lower than the control diet , respectively .