title: Growth, carcase composition and profitability of meat chickens given pellets, mash or free-choice diet.
abstract: 1. Equal numbers of 21-d-old male and female meat chickens were given their dietary ingredients either mixed and presented as pellets or mash, or as separate ingredients presented on a free-choice basis, to determine whether presentation method caused any differences in growth, carcase composition or profitability to 42 d of age. 2. The proportions of ingredients eaten by the chickens given a free choice varied widely during the first 56 h of the trial. Thereafter, the proportions did not vary widely and birds given the free choice ate approximately 1/2 of their intake as whole wheat, 1/3 of their intake as concentrate (high protein meals plus vitamin and mineral premixes), and 1/7 of their intake as whole sorghum each week for the three-week trial period. 3. The nutrient composition of the free-choice diet selected by the birds over the trial period averaged 12.09 MJ ME/kg feed, 210 g/kg crude protein, 14 g/kg calcium and 7 g/kg phosphorus. 4. At the end of the trial the average live body weights of the birds differed significantly according to method of feeding, in the descending order of pellets > mash > free choice. 5. The empty gizzard weight of birds differed significantly according to the method of feeding, in the descending order of free choice > mash > pellets.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Production, University of Queensland, Gatton College, Lawes, Australia.
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Munt
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Dingle
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Sumpa
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition; D001835:Body Weight; D002645:Chickens / Q000502:physiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat; D009929:Organ Size