Determination of the Optimal Protein Level for Local Chicken Breeds in Burkina Faso

Abstract

Information on the diet of local chickens is scarce, which poses practical challenges for their efficient management. This study was conducted in Burkina Faso to help improve the performance of local chicken breeds by determining their protein requirements. The trial lasted eighteen (18) weeks and involved three hundred (300) one-day-old local chicks. The birds were weighed and randomly assigned to twelve (12) groups of twenty-five (25) chicks each. During the starter phase, they received four diets: the local CPAVI chick starter diet (Control), the CPAVI layer chick starter diet (R2), the CPAVI broiler chick starter diet (R3), and an intermediate layer-broiler chick starter diet formulated for the experiment (R4). During the growth phase, all birds received a single pullet diet. Weight gain, phase-specific weight gain, average daily gain, individual feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and water intake were measured during the starter and growth phases. At the end of the trial, carcass and organ yields were evaluated after slaughter. The CPAVI layer chick feed (R2) and the local CPAVI layer chick feed (Control) produced the best zootechnical performance in terms of weight gain (981.92 ± 319.21 g and 991.63 ± 302.1 g, respectively), compared with R3 (859.61 ± 294.56 g), with a significant difference observed. For average daily gain (ADG), R2 (5.68 ± 3.44 g) and R4 (5.45 ± 2.56 g) produced the best results, compared with the Control diet (4.79 ± 2.53 g) and R3 (4.36 ± 3.97 g). For the feed conversion ratio, R3 (0.86 ± 1.95) and R2 (1.73 ± 1.77) performed better than the Control diet (2.69 ± 1.88) and R4 (2.21 ± 1.49).