Performance of broiler chickens raised in boric acid amended chopped rice straw and paddy husk

Abstract

A research study was carried out to evaluate the effects of boric acid amended chopped paddy straw and paddy husk on performance of broiler chickens. Total of 120, day-old, broiler chicks were randomly allocated into four treatment groups; CS= birds raised in chopped paddy straw, PH=birds raised in paddy husk, CS+H3BO3=birds raised in boric acid treated chopped paddy straw and PH+H3BO3=birds raised in boric acid treated paddy husk, with three replicates of ten birds each. The birds were fed with commercial diets. Boric acid was applied to the litter surface at the rate of 0.4 kg/9.3 m2 in weekly basis. Body weight gain and feed consumption were recorded weekly and feed conversion ratio (FCR) was calculated. On day 42, the carcass characteristics and the relative organ weights were measured. The birds raised on boric acid amended chopped straw and paddy husk had significantly increased (p<0.05) overall body weight gains, feed consumption, live body weight and carcass weight over the untreated groups. The FCR of birds kept on boric acid treated chopped straw was significantly (p<0.05) lower than untreated chopped straw and paddy husk. The dressing percentage was lowest (p<0.05) in the birds kept on untreated chopped straw than others. The birds raised on untreated chopped straw had higher (p<0.05) spleen weight and lower gizzard weight than those of untreated paddy husk regardless of boric acid amendment. Therefore, the boric acid amendment to chopped straw and paddy husk increases the growth performance of broiler chickens.