EFFECT OF FEED SHAPE AND PROGRAM ON PERFORMANCE, CARCASS YIELD AND ECONOMICS IN COMMERCIAL BROILER INDIAN RIVER

El-Faham, A. I.S.; Hamed, M. M.; Ali, Nematallah G.M.; Abdelaziz, M. A.M.; Marzook, Marwa; Abdelhady, A. Y.M.

doi:10.21608/ejnf.2025.469085

EFFECT OF FEED SHAPE AND PROGRAM ON PERFORMANCE, CARCASS YIELD AND ECONOMICS IN COMMERCIAL BROILER INDIAN RIVER

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Poultry Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

10.21608/ejnf.2025.469085

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of feed program and feed form on growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and economic efficiency in commercial Indian River broilers. A total of 180 chicks were assigned to six treatments in a 3 × 2 factorial design, comparing three feed forms (fine, crumble, pellet) and two feed programs (high and moderate crude protein, CP). Diets were formulated to four CP levels (23%, 21%, 19%, and 17%) according to the Indian River nutrition guide. Results showed that both feed program and feed form significantly affected live body weight (LBW), daily weight gain, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) across different phases. In the starter phase, crumble diets with higher CP (T2) achieved the best LBW (384 g), daily gain (24.5 g/day), and efficient FCR (1.18). During the grower phase, T2 again outperformed other treatments with the highest LBW (1473 g) and gain (77.8 g/day). In the finisher phase, pellet diets combined with higher CP improved efficiency, with T2 maintaining the highest final LBW (2161 g) and the lowest FCR (1.72). Carcass evaluation indicated significant effects of feed form on liver, gizzard, and abdominal fat percentages, while breast meat composition was mainly influenced by feed program. Economic study revealed that T2 produced the greatest net return (81.0 LE/chick) and the highest economic efficiency (115%), followed closely by T5 (99.9%). In contrast, T4 and T6 showed reduced efficiency due to lower growth or excessive feed intake. In conclusion, a nutrient-dense program (23-19% CP) combined with crumble form in the starter and grower phases, and pellet form in the finisher, optimized growth, feed efficiency, carcass quality, and profitability. These findings highlight the importance of integrating feed program and physical form to achieve balanced performance and economic sustainability in modern broiler production.

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