Response of broiler chicks fed high tannin sorghum diets supplemented with DL-methionine

Abstract

Experiment was conducted to assess the effect of methionine supplementation on utilization of red sorghum (RS, 2.3% tannin) in diets of coloured broiler chickens. Day-old broiler chicks (360) were randomly divided into 36 groups of 10 chicks each, and 9 dietary treatment were allotted to 4 groups (replicates) in a completely randomized design. The dietary treatment formulated were; corn-soy-based control diet (D1) and the diets consisted of 4 levels (25,50,75 and 100% part of maize) of red sorghum (RS25-RS100) or respective 4 levels of RS supplemented with extra methionine (0.04, 0.08, 0.12 and 0.16% in RS25,Met-RS100Met respectively). All the diets were adjusted to have similar energy (2800 kcal/kg), lysine (1.14 and 1%) and methionine (0.45 and 0.4% methionine during starting-0-3 week and finishing 4-6 weeks of age respectively). During over all phase (0-6 week), live weight gain of chicks is higher than the control group. The feed intake increased with the increase in level of red sorghum in diet, as well as with methinine supplementation. The feed conversion ratio (0-6 week) did not differ significantly due to dietary treatments. Carcass traits, weight of vital organs, as well as cut up parts of broiler chicken did not differ amongst the dietary treatments. It was concluded that red sorghum could replace maize in toto in colour broiler chicken diet but economically it can be used only up to 33% in diet replacing 50% of maize. Addition of methionine did not prove beneficial.