THE NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR NATIVE CHICKENS

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of five dietary levels of
metabolimble energy and six dietary levels of lysine and metabolizable energy ratios. These experiments were allocated in a completely randomized design with five treatments and four replications (experiment 1) and six treatments and four replications (experiment 2). In Experiment 1, five levels of metabolizable energy (2,300, 2,450, 2,600, 2,750 and 2,900 kcal/kg of diet) fed to one hundred and twenty native chickens. ln Experiment 2, three hundred and sixty native chickens were fed on six levels of lysine and metabolimble energy ratios (2.20 -2.30, 2.40-
.50, 2.60-2.70, 2.80-2.90, 3.00-3.10 and 3.20- 3.30 gl Mcal of diet). ln both experiments, feed and water were provided for ad libitum. Body weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion and mortality was measured during the test period (ld-l2 weeks). The results showed that increasing dietary metabolizable energy levels of diet had significant effect on body weight gain, feed consumption and feed conversion. There was no effect of dietary lysine and metabolizable energy ratios on ffi consumption however significantly affected on body weight gain and feed
conversion. lt “as concluded that nutrient requirements for native chicken at starter period lower than broiler, but higher than layer of NRC (I994) recommendations.