Evaluating the Nutritional Value of the Newly Developed Quality Protein Maize in Pakistan: Impact on Broiler Performance and Profitability
Evaluating the Nutritional Value of the Newly Developed Quality Protein Maize in Pakistan: Impact on Broiler Performance and Profitability
Nazir Ahmad Khan1,*, Mudassir Alam1, Rafiullah khan1, Kamran Khan2 and Sadeeq ur Rahman3
ABSTRACT
Quality protein maize (QPM) with high protein and essential amino acids contents can be potentially used in broiler feeds to reduce the inclusion level and cost of expensive protein ingredients. This study quantified the chemical composition and amino acid profile of grains from newly developed QPM hybrids and evaluated the effect of replacing conventional maize (CM) with QPM in broiler feed on bird’s performance, diet digestibility, nitrogen retention, meat amino acids profile and farm profitability. Grains of QPM200 and QPM300 hybrids, approved by Pakistan maize variety evaluation committee in January 2017, were provided by International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), Pakistan. The content of CP was higher in QPM300 (10.8% dry matter (DM)) and QPM200 (9.12% DM) than the CM (7.78% DM). Moreover, QPM200 and QPM300 had higher contents (% of DM) of methionine (0.20-0.24 vs. 0.12), threonine (0.43-0.69 vs. 0.17), and tryptophan (0.07 each vs. 0.05) as compared to CM. For testing the QPM in broiler feeds, four iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric feeds were prepared: commercial feed (control) containing only CM; (ii) diet containing only QPM200; (iii) diet containing only QPM300; (iv) diet containing 50% each of the QPM. Birds fed on QPM300-based diet had higher (P < 0.05; 2438.5 g) final body weight and better (P < 0.05; 1.743) feed to weight gain efficiency throughout the experimental period. Eight days in vivo digestibility assay showed that QPM300 had higher (P < 0.05; 81.7%) dry matter digestibility, followed by diets containing QPM200 (78.3%) and QPM-mix (78.2%), while lowest (P < 0.05) digestibility was recorded for the control diet (74.1%). The three QPM based diets did not differ in N retention; however, they retained higher (P < 0.05) percentages of nitrogen (51.4-53.9%) than the control diet (43.9%), suggesting higher amino acids availability from the QPM-based diets. The QPM300 diet had the highest (P < 0.05) net profit (70.2 PKR/bird) and the CM-based diet had the lowest (61.5 PKR/bird). The newly released QPM hybrids with higher protein and essential amino acids contents enhanced diet digestibility and broiler production efficiency and can be potentially exploited to reduce the dependency on imported protein ingredients and improve farm profitability.
To share on other social networks, click on any share button. What are these?
April 2020
Vol. 52, Iss. 2, Pages 425-824
