Effect of Sorghum Based Feed on Carcass Weight Gained for Broiler Production in Bauchi State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigated the Effect of Sorghum Based Feed on Carcass Weight Gained for Broiler Production in Bauchi State, Nigeria. The study was guided by three objectives, three research questions and three null hypotheses. Experimental research design was used for the study. One Broilers were used for the study. The broilers were grouped in to four constituting twenty five broiler randomly assigned to 1 control and 3 experimental groups. The major source of energy feed used for the chickens are Maize grain, White Sorghum (farfara), Red Sorghum (jar dawa) and Yellow Sorghum (kaura). The birds were raised in a clean floor system pen which was partitioned into 4 pens, each with stocking density of 25 chickens per m² from day old to seven weeks of age. Body weight changes were taken using sensitive balance every week starting from day old. The chickens were vaccinated with live vaccine against marek’s disease at the first day and against Newcastle Disease (HB1) on third and 21st day through ocular and against Gumburo at 21 day through drinking water. Weighing each chicken, feed and maintenance cost and weighting of the chicken were recorded every weekly. Four broilers were randomly selected from each replication (16 birds) and starved for 12 hours, weighed and slaughtered for carcass evaluation. The weight of edible parts was recorded for carcass. Mean score and mean difference was used to answer the research questions while ANOVA was employed to test the null hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed among others that there were no significant differences among the average total cost incurred of breeding Broilers fed with maize, red sorghum, yellow sorghum and white sorghum. The researcher concluded that the profitability ratio of poultry chickens will increase if sorghum is used as replacement to maize grain. It was recommended among others that Sorghum feeds should be used as a replacement of maize for Broiler agri-business in Bauchi state.