Performance of broiler chicks fed graded levels of maggot meal

Abstract

Eighty day-old chicks were used for a six week feeding trial. The birds were randomly allotted to live different dietary treatments that were replicated thrice. Maggot meal replaced a 4% fish meal diet in the following order: 0.25, 50, 75 and 100% maggot meal inclusions replacing fish meal. Changes, in body weight were not significant in the five different diets fed. Feed conversion ratio was significantly better (p<0.05) than the diet with 100% replacement of fish meal. Dry matter digestibility showed that the diet containing 25% inclusion level of appraise the nutritional status of the birds include ■ hemoglobin (Mb %), red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), lymphocytes, heterophils, monocytes and eosinophils. All blood parameters showed no significant difference between the diets. The cost per kg of diets was significantly lower (P<0.05) as the level of maggot meal inclusion increased.