Effects of Wet Feeding on Growth Performance and Visceral Organ Weights of Broiler Chicken under Two Day-Time Ambient Temp

Abstract

High ambient temperature reduces the feed intake, nutrient digestibility and performance of broiler chicken. Wet feeding increases the feed and water intake with beneficial effects on growth performance. Objective of this study was to determine whether adverse effects of high ambient temperature on broilers could be mitigated by wet feeding. Giving a completely randomize design in 2 x 2 factorial arrangement, 48 broiler chicks in 24 floor pens and subjected to ambient or ambient + 2°C day time temperature were fed a commercial finisher diet either in dry or wet form. Increase of the ambient temperature by 2°C did not reduce the feed intake or growth performance parameters. The relative weight of gizzard and proventriculus and the relative length of the small intestine were lower at higher ambient temperature. Wet feeding increased the total water ingestion (with feed+from drinkers) and the water feed ratio. Temperature x feed interaction was significant for feed intake. When given in dry form, feed intake reduced at high ambient temperature, compared to lower ambient temperature. Whereas, when given in wet form, feed intake of the birds kept at higher ambient temperature was not significantly different from that of the birds at lower temperature. Feed conversion ratio (FCR] of the birds given wet feed was tend (p=0.06) to be better than that of the birds given dry feed. It was concluded that wet feeding mitigates the adverse effects on high ambient temperature on feed intake and improves the feed efficiency