Studies on feeding of azolla meal on growth performance of Kadaknath poultry

Abstract

The present investigation entitled "Studies on feeding of Azolla meal on growth performance of Kadaknath poultry" was carried out to assess the effect of Azolla meal on Body weight, Dressing percentage and Economics of Kadaknath poultry bird's production. 192, Chicks of day old straight run commercial Kadaknath breed were procured from Government hatchery, Nagpur (Maharashtra). They were randomly and equally distributed into four treatment groups T1, T2, T3 and T4 with 48 numbers of chicks in each group. Azolla meal was added in experimental ration at different levels. The dietary treatments consisted of one basal control (T1), supplemented with 2.5% Azolla meal (T2), 5% Azolla meal (T3) and 7.5% Azolla meal (T4). The corresponding average live body weights at the end of eighth week of age were 701.50, 736.25, 787.72 and 846.35 gm for treatment T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively. The average weekly body weight gains at eighth week of age were 112. 24, 120.43, 132.92 and 148.20 gm. for treatment T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively. The average dressing percentage among the different treatment groups varied between 70.54 to 73.24 per cent. Numerically higher dressing percentage was recorded in treatment T4 (73.24). The net profit per bird was highest in T4 (Rs. 257.42), T3 (Rs. 233.21), T2 (Rs. 210.35) and T1 (Rs. 194.17). The result therefore concludes that supplementation of 7.5 per cent dried Azolla meal was beneficial to improve the growth performance of birds.