Experimental farm and birds: The experiment was conducted with 240 day old broilers of Cobb 500 strain for a period of 35 days (from February to March, 2019) in a controlled poultry shed adjacent to Gono Bishwabidyalay, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Experimental birds were collected from Kazi Hatchery Limited, Bangladesh. All experimental birds were healthy, disease free and kept under same management throughout the experiment.
Experimental design: A total of 240 day old Cobb 500 broiler bird was randomly assigned into four dietary treatment groups (T0, T1, T2 and T3), each group having 3 replications and each replications had 20 birds. Acetic acid was supplied with drinking water in following concentration to the different groupsT0 = Basal feed + 0% acetic acid with drinking water T1 = Basal feed + 0.1% acetic acid with drinking water T2 = Basal feed + 0.2% acetic acid with drinking water T3 = Basal feed + 0.3% acetic acid with drinking water.
Housing of the experimental birds: A controlled poultry shed adjacent to Gono Bishwabidyalay, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh was used for this experimental purpose. The experimental room was thoroughly brushed, swiped and properly washed by water after that bleaching powder @ 1 kg/500sq.ft. was spread over the floor kept for 24 hours. By using forced tap water bleaching powder was cleaned. After that the room was disinfected by TH4+ solution (Manufactured by Sogeval, France, Marketed by-Century Agro Ltd, Bangladesh). Feeders, waterers, buckets and all other necessary equipment’s were also properly, washed and disinfected by TH4+ solution. Then fresh and dry rice husks were spread on the floor of the pens as a litter material. The room was partitioned into 12 pens of equal size by using wire net and bamboo materials. Area of each pen was l6 square feet (4ft×4ft). Clean and dry rice husk was used as litter materials at a depth of about 5cm. After 10 days, all old litter was replaced by fresh rice husk. When the birds are free from the risk of trapped, the litter materials were removed. 1 sq. ft/ bird floor space was allotted to ensure comfort of the birds.
Feeding and watering management: One round tube feeder and one round drinker with a capacity of eight litters were provided in each pen. The feeder and drinker were fixed in such a way that the broilers were able to eat and drink conveniently. Feeders were cleaned once in a day while waterers were cleaned twice every day at morning and afternoon. Basal diets broiler pre starter and starter was purchased from Nourish Poultry and Hatchery Ltd. ® , Bangladesh and its composition is following.
Immunization of birds: Experimental birds were vaccinated against Newcastle Disease (Ranikhet) and Infectious Bursal Disease (Gumboro). The vaccination schedule followed during the experimental period. The experimental birds were Immunization against Newcastle (Ranikhet) disease and Infectious bursal disease (Gumboro).
Record keeping and data processing: All experimental data were recorded carefully and at to the point without any biasness. Before start of the experiment, initial weight of the birds was taken and then they were weighed at weekly interval. Feed intake was calculated as the deduction of feed residue from the feed supplied to the birds of each replication and dividing it by the number of birds of this replication. Feed efficiency (FE) was calculated as the amount of feed consumed per unit of weight gain. To determine the meat yield characteristics 3 birds from each replication i.e. total 9 birds from each group was slaughtered then the weight of the different organs were taken and compared. To determine cost effectiveness of production all costs for rearing the birds were deducted from the total income by selling the birds and compared among the groups.
Statistical analysis: Collected data were spread at MS excel sheet (Microsoft office excel–2007, USA) and then subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) in a completely randomized design (CRD) employing Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20 and results were expressed as Mean ± SEM, data were considered significant at 5% level of significance.