Growth performance and energy utilisation of broiler chickens on triticale-based diets

Abstract

Triticale will become an increasingly important cereal grain in some areas because of its high yield potential, drought stress tolerance and disease resistance (Todorov, 1988). However, it is important to assess the nutritive value of the grain in order to establish its potential as an energy source. The concentrations of nutrients and antinutritive factors in some of the new high-yielding cultivars are also variable and need to be documented. The next level of research will be to determine the nutritive value of these cultivars including the availability of energy in these grains. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of high-yielding cultivars of triticale in diets on production performance and utilization of dietary energy by broiler chickens.