INFLUENCE OF PHOTOPERIOD AND CRUDE PROTEIN LEVELS ON PRODUCTIVE TRAITS AND ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF MUSCOVY DUCKLING MALES DURING SUMMER SEASON | ||
| Journal of Productivity and Development | ||
| Article 7, Volume 21, Issue 3, August 2016, Pages 301-321 PDF (506.56 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/jpd.2016.42273 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Ibrahim Azazi* ; Ahmed ALazab; Mohamed Nassrallah | ||
| Animal Production Research Institute, Egypt. | ||
| Abstract | ||
| The present study was conducted to estimate the effect of lighting program and protein level in the diet and their interaction on productive performance, carcass characteristics, blood parameters and economical efficiency at the summer season. A total of 180 Muscovy ducklings ,one day old, was individually weighed and randomly distributed equally into two groups (90 birds, each) according to lighting programs, L1 (natural day light as complement the natural lighting to 22-hour using artificial light) and L2 (22 hours / day using artificial light). Ducklings in each light program were divided into three groups (30 birds in each) with three replicates (10 birds, each) according to levels of crude protein in the diet: Low protein level (P1) (21, 17 and 16%) medium protein level (P2) (22, 18 and 17% ) and high protein level(P3) (23, 19 and 18% ) for starter, grower and finisher periods, respectively, during experimental period from one–day to 12 weeks of age. The obtained results showed that Muscovy duckling males exposed to (L2) program had significantly (P≤0.01) higher LBW at 8 weeks of age and BWG, during period 4-8 wks of age as compared to that exposed to (L1) program. The L2 birds consumed significantly (P≤0.05 or P≤0.01) higher amounts of feed than that L1 birds during all periods studied, except during period 4-8 wks of age. Birds reared under L1 system had the significantly (P≤0.05) best feed conversion ratio for cumulative feed conversion ratio (0-12 wks), as compared with that reared under L1 system. Significant effects of CP levels or natural day light on protein intake, protein utilization and performance index at the end of the experimental period. Also, there were significant differences between CP levels with lighting programs of protein intake and performance index at the end of the experiment while, protein utilization was not significant. The duckling males reared under L2 system gave significantly (P≤0.05) higher percentage of thighs than that reared under L1 system. Duckling males received (P3) diet recorded significantly (P≤0.01) higher LBW at 4, 8 and 12 wks of age and BWG during periods 0-4 and 4-8 wks of age and during whole period (0-12 wks of age) followed by birds received (P2) and (P1) diets, respectively. The birds of P3 diet consumed significantly (P≤0.05 or P≤0.01) lower amounts of feed than those birds of P2 or P1 diet, respectively. Birds fed P3 diet had the significantly (P≤0.01) best feed conversion ratio for cumulative feed conversion ratio (0-12 wks) followed by P2 and P1 diet, respectively. The birds fed on P2 diet recorded the highest values of percentage of breast and tend, while, the highest values of abdominal fat were recorded by birds fed on P3 diet. Birds fed P3 diet had significantly (P≤0.05) higher serum creatine concentration compared to birds fed P1 diet. The interaction between lighting program and protein levels showed that duckling males received (P3) diet and exposed to (L1) program group recorded the highest values of both LBW and BWG when compared to other groups. Birds fed on P3 diet and exposed to either L1 or L2 program consumed significantly (P≤0.01) lower amounts of feed, and had the significantly (P≤0.01) best feed conversion ratio than other groups during whole experimental period (0-12 wks). Using high protein level (P3) in the diets of ducks with natural day light (L1) improved economic efficiency and relative economic efficiency of ducks compared with other groups. Birds reared under L2 system and fed P1 diet recorded significantly (P≤0.01) best abdominal fat compared to other groups. All studied serum proteins and serum lipids were not significantly affected due to both lighting system and crud protein level effect and their interaction. Conclusively, it could be concluded that dietary high CP (%) with natural day light might have positive effects on growth performance traits and economic efficiency (%) of growing Muscovy duckling males, during summer season. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Photoperiod; Crude Protein Levels; productive traits; economic efficiency; Muscovy ducks; summer season | ||
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