title: Effects of dietary metabolizable energy and crude protein concentrations on growth performance and carcass characteristics of French guinea broilers.
abstract: This study was undertaken to assess dietary CP and ME concentrations for optimum growth performance and carcass characteristics of French guinea broilers. In a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement, 396 1-d-old French guinea keets were randomly assigned to experimental diets with 3,050, 3,100, and 3,150 kcal of ME/kg of diet; each contained 21, 23, and 25% CP, respectively, from 0 to 4 wk of age (WOA). From 5 to 8 WOA, experimental diets had 3,100, 3,150, and 3,200 kcal of ME/kg of diet, and each contained 19, 21, and 23% CP, respectively. Each dietary treatment was replicated 3 times, and feed and water were provided ad libitum. Body weight and feed consumption were measured weekly, whereas carcass characteristics were evaluated at 8 WOA. For the most part, birds on 3,100 and 3,150 kcal of ME/kg of diet at 0 to 4 WOA exhibited greater (P < 0.05) BW gain, greater carcass and breast weights (P < 0.05), and lower (P < 0.05) feed consumption and feed conversion ratios (FCR) than those on a diet with 3,050 kcal of ME/kg. Mean feed consumption of birds fed 25% CP diets was higher (P < 0.05) than those on other dietary CP concentrations. Mean BW gain, FCR, and carcass and breast weights of birds fed 25 and 23% CP diets from 0 to 4 WOA were not different (P > 0.05), but they were better (P < 0.05) than those of birds on 21% CP diets. Positive correlations (P < 0.01) were noted between live weight and weight of carcass, breast, thigh, drumstick, and wing of guinea broilers. Thus, diets with 3,100 kcal of ME/kg and 23% CP or with 3,150 kcal of ME/kg and 21% CP at 0 to 4 WOA and 5 to 8 WOA, respectively, were used more efficiently by French guinea broilers.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Research, Tennessee State University, 3500 John A. Merritt Blvd., Nashville, Tennessee 37209-1561, USA. Snahashon@tnstate.edu
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Nahashon
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Adefope
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amenyenu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wright
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D046094:Galliformes / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins