Growth of broilers given diets containing field beans (vicia fabal.) during period the 0 to 4 week

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Abstract
In the first experiment 32 groups, each of about 30 male or female Ross 1 chicks, were given mash diets containing 0, 15, 30 or 45 per cent field beans from one day of age for 4 weeks. From 4 to 8 weeks they were given pelleted diets containing 30 or 45 per cent field beans, the treatments being imposed in a 2 (sexes) x 4x2 factorial design. Increasing the proportion of beans in the diet gave a significant worsening in food conversion ratio and in live‐weight gain to 4 and 8 weeks. In the second experiment 30 groups, each of about 32 male Ross 1 chicks, were given diets containing o, 30, 45, 30 or 45 per cent beans from one day of age to 4 weeks. In the second and third diets the digestibility of bean protein was assumed to be 100 per cent; in the fourth and fifth diets the digestibility was assumed to be 80 per cent and higher concentrations of other protein supplements were therefore included. All diets were prepared as mash, pellets and ground pellets. From 4 to 8 weeks all groups were given a standard diet, the experiment having a 5 x 3 factorial design. Birds fed the control diet ate significantly less, had a significantly poorer food conversion ratio and weighed significantly less than birds fed the diets containing beans. Growth was similar on all diets containing beans, but food conversion ratio was significantly worsened when the concentration of beans in the diet was increased to 45 per cent. Birds grew best on pellets and grew worst on ground pellets.
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