205
1. Treatment 1 (T1): Maize as sole energy source with no pearl millet
2. Treatment 2 (T2): 10% of the diet as pearl millet
3. Treatment 3 (T3): 20% of the diet as pearl millet
4. Treatment 4 (T4): 0 maize – 100% pearl millet as energy source
Before feed formulation, samples of maize, pearl millet, and soybean meal were
analyzed in the laboratory for proximate composition analysis (AOAC 2012) as
shown in Table 1. The results of the analysis were then used to formulate starter and
finisher diets as presented in Table 2.
The proportion of ingredients in starter and finisher rations is presented in
Table 2.
2.3 Broiler Management and Experimental Design
A total of 260-day-old Cobb broiler chicks were raised up to 56 days. On day 1,
broilers were individually weighed and assigned to each of the four treatments with
five replicates of 13 broilers each. The pens and equipment were disinfected 2 weeks
before chick arrival. Litter comprised rice husks on which were placed one drinker
and one feeder per pen. Artificial lighting of a 24-hr period was provided during the
three first weeks of the brooding stage. Thereafter, the broilers were kept under
natural conditions typical of smallholder poultry farmers in Malawi.
Table 1 Nutrient composition of the feed ingredients: pearl millet, maize, and soya bean (%)
Ingredient
DM
CP
ASH
CF
EE
Ca
GE (kcal/kg DM)
Pearl millet
91.99
13.3
4.2
7.6
7.31
0.07
3810.6
Maize
89.71
9.38
2.24
7.1
4.5
0.03
3765.2
Soya bean
89.99
35.05
4.45
4.6
19.9
0.37
4213.12
DM Dry matter, CP Crude protein, CF Crude fiber, EE Ether extract/crude fat, Ca Calcium, GE
Gross energy
Table 2 Proportion of ingredients in starter and finisher diets of broilers as percentage of diet
Ingredients Starter Finisher Starter Finisher Starter Finisher Starter Finisher
Maize
43.4
59.61
34.86
51.07
26.32
42.53
0
0
Soya bean
51.15
35.40
49.69
33.94
48.23
32.48
43.72
25.2
Pearl millet 0
0
10
10
20
20
50.82
69.80
Salt
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.32
0.3
0.3
VMP
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
MCP
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
Methionine 0.77
0.56
0.77
0.56
0.77
0.56
0.77
0.56
Lysine
1
0.75
1
0.75
1
0.75
1
0.75
Lime
1.58
1.58
1.58
1.58
1.58
1.58
1.58
1.58
Total
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
T1 = 0%; T2 = 10%; T3 = 20% pearl millet and T4 = 0% maize
VMP Vitamin-mineral premix, MCP Monocalcium phosphate
In Search of Climate-Smart Feeds: The Potential of Pearl Millet
1. Treatment 1 (T1): Maize as sole energy source with no pearl millet
2. Treatment 2 (T2): 10% of the diet as pearl millet
3. Treatment 3 (T3): 20% of the diet as pearl millet
4. Treatment 4 (T4): 0 maize – 100% pearl millet as energy source
Before feed formulation, samples of maize, pearl millet, and soybean meal were
analyzed in the laboratory for proximate composition analysis (AOAC 2012) as
shown in Table 1. The results of the analysis were then used to formulate starter and
finisher diets as presented in Table 2.
The proportion of ingredients in starter and finisher rations is presented in
Table 2.
2.3 Broiler Management and Experimental Design
A total of 260-day-old Cobb broiler chicks were raised up to 56 days. On day 1,
broilers were individually weighed and assigned to each of the four treatments with
five replicates of 13 broilers each. The pens and equipment were disinfected 2 weeks
before chick arrival. Litter comprised rice husks on which were placed one drinker
and one feeder per pen. Artificial lighting of a 24-hr period was provided during the
three first weeks of the brooding stage. Thereafter, the broilers were kept under
natural conditions typical of smallholder poultry farmers in Malawi.
Table 1 Nutrient composition of the feed ingredients: pearl millet, maize, and soya bean (%)
Ingredient
DM
CP
ASH
CF
EE
Ca
GE (kcal/kg DM)
Pearl millet
91.99
13.3
4.2
7.6
7.31
0.07
3810.6
Maize
89.71
9.38
2.24
7.1
4.5
0.03
3765.2
Soya bean
89.99
35.05
4.45
4.6
19.9
0.37
4213.12
DM Dry matter, CP Crude protein, CF Crude fiber, EE Ether extract/crude fat, Ca Calcium, GE
Gross energy
Table 2 Proportion of ingredients in starter and finisher diets of broilers as percentage of diet
Ingredients Starter Finisher Starter Finisher Starter Finisher Starter Finisher
Maize
43.4
59.61
34.86
51.07
26.32
42.53
0
0
Soya bean
51.15
35.40
49.69
33.94
48.23
32.48
43.72
25.2
Pearl millet 0
0
10
10
20
20
50.82
69.80
Salt
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.32
0.3
0.3
VMP
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
MCP
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
Methionine 0.77
0.56
0.77
0.56
0.77
0.56
0.77
0.56
Lysine
1
0.75
1
0.75
1
0.75
1
0.75
Lime
1.58
1.58
1.58
1.58
1.58
1.58
1.58
1.58
Total
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
T1 = 0%; T2 = 10%; T3 = 20% pearl millet and T4 = 0% maize
VMP Vitamin-mineral premix, MCP Monocalcium phosphate
In Search of Climate-Smart Feeds: The Potential of Pearl Millet