Growth Performance and Cost Analysis of Broiler Birds’ Finishers Fed Diets of Varying Ratios of Rice (Oryza gaberrima) Bran, Housefly Maggot Meal and Scent Leaf (Ocimum gratissimum)

The study investigated growth performance and cost analysis of broiler birds’ finishers fed diets of varying ratios of rice bran, housefly maggot meal and scent leaf powder. The experiment was conducted in Agricultural Education Poultry Farm, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). A 3 x 4 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design (CRD) was adopted. 216-day-old chicks from Aggrited farm were studied. The chicks were brooded together for three weeks, and distributed into four treatment groups- (T1, T2, T3 and T4). Each group had 54 birds with three replicates of 18 birds. Four diets containing varying ratios of rice bran and housefly maggot meal were formulated. Data on daily feed intake, weekly weight gain, and final body weight were collected via weighing scale, while data on feed conversion ratio and costs-benefits were computed. Data collected were analysed using mean and one-way ANOVA. Results reveal that Treatment 4 performed best in growth performance with highest average final body weight of 2786.67 g (P ˂ 0.05). Treatment 4 also recorded the lowest average total cost of production of ₦51,168.85 (P ˂ 0.05), highest average total revenue generated of ₦72,821.33 (P ˃ 0.05), and highest average net profit of ₦21,652.49 (P ˃ 0.05). Based on the results, it was concluded that inclusion of 15% rice bran and 30% housefly maggot meal as partial replacement for maize and fishmeal supplemented with 30ml scent leaf powder is ideal for broiler birds’ finisher.