The effects of maize meal particle size distribution on broiler performance

Abstract

Feed constitutes 60 to 80% of the total broiler production costs and there is a need to improve on feed characteristics to increase efficiency of nutrient utilisation and reduce costs. Two hundred Cobb day old chicks were fed maize-soya bean-based diets. The maize in the diets was ground by hammer mill and passed through five screens which had 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 mm perforations that produced maize particle sizes of 400, 450, 535, 750, and 930 microns respectively. The trial had five treatments with each treatment having two replications. Forty birds were allocated for each replicate. Data collected on weekly basis include feed intake, total mass per replication, mean mass per replication, treatment mean mass, feed conversion ratio per replication, treatment mean feed conversion ratio, and mortality. The findings indicate that there were no significant differences (p > 0.05) on the Average Daily Feed Intake, average daily gain and consequently the Feed Conversion Ratio amongst the birds fed maize with particle sizes ranging from 400 to 930 microns.