Volume : 2, Issue : 9, September - 2013

Adapting Poultry Production in Nigeria to Climate Change: Economics of Micronutrient Supplementation on Egg Production of Laying Birds

Onyimonyi Anselm Ego, Nombor Nicodemus Terkaa

Abstract :

A total of two hundred and forty 24 weeks old Golden Nestlink point of lay birds were used in a 52 weeks study to investigate the economics of supplementing layers ration with dietary levels of vitamins C and E as a means of adapting the birds to heat stress resulting from changing climatic variables. The birds were randomly assigned to any of the sixteen treatments emerging from a combination of four doses of vitamin C [0, 200, 400 and 600mg/kg] and four doses of vitamin E [0, 125, 200 and 375 mg/kg] in a 16% Crude Protein ration for layers. The experimental design was a 4 X 4 factorial with sixteen treatment combination in a completely randomized design. Results showed that there was a significant improvement in all the economic indices in the supplemented groups. Economic indices of birds on 400mg vitamin C + 125mg vitamin E were significantly {P<0.05} higher. The un–supplemented group recorded the least value of all economic indices. It is concluded that a combination of 400mg vitamin C + 125 mg vitamin E per kg of layers ration will help heat stressed layers in Nigeria perform economically better in the face of emerging climatic changes