Productivity of broilers using a mineral feed additive

Abstract

The effectiveness of increasing the productivity of agricultural poultry depends on the extent to which production technologies enable the realization of its genetic potential. The experiment aimed to study the effect of a mineral feed additive containing copper on productivity, growth, and feed consumption in broiler chickens. The scientific and economic experiment was conducted in the conditions of the Vinnytsia National Agrarian University vivarium. For the experiment, 40 broiler chickens of the “Ross-308” cross were selected, and two analog groups of 20 heads each were formed. The experiment lasted 42 days. During the experiment, the broilers of the 1st control group consumed a completely balanced feed. In addition to the diet of the research group, the researched mineral feed supplement was added. Broiler chickens were weighed every week to determine the intensity of growth. According to the results of the experiment, it was established that additional feeding of a mineral feed additive to broiler chickens of the 2nd group increases live weight at 21 days of age by 4.6 % (Р ≤ 0.05), at 28 days of age by 7.1 % (Р ≤ 0.01) in 35 days by 9.5 % (Р ≤ 0.001) and in 42 days by 9.4 % (Р ≤ 0.001), against the control. It was found that with the use of a mineral additive in broilers of the 2nd group, feed consumption per 1 kg of growth is reduced by 7.8 %, compared to the control value. Additional consumption of the researched mineral feed additive in broiler chickens of the 2nd group increases the pre-slaughter live weight by 8.9 %, the weight of non-carcasses by 9.7 % (Р ≤ 0.001), half-carcasses by 10.8 % (Р ≤ 0.01) and patranoi by 13.0 % (Р ≤ 0.001), relative to the control. Feeding the mineral supplement to broilers of the 2nd group increases the mass of pectoral muscles by 9.2 % and thigh muscles by 10.8 % (Р ≤ 0.01), against the control indicator.