Feeding and Economic Evaluation of Corn, Wheat, and Sorghum Based-Diets in Broilers
To evaluate the feeding and economic values of different grain sources, namely, local yellow corn, US soft red winter wheat and low tannin US sorghum, a total of 770 Arbor Acre day-old male broiler chicks were fed one of 7 isocaloric/isonitrogenous broiler mash diets for 42 days. Grain sources for the basal diets were as follows: Diet 1 – 100% yellow corn, Diet 2 – 100% US soft red winter wheat; Diet 3 – 100% low tannin US sorghum, Diet 4 – 50% corn and 50% sorghum (equal weight basis); Diet 5 – 50% wheat and 50% sorghum (equal weight basis); Diet 6 – Diet 2 and a pigment source added in the grower/finisher period; and Diet 7 – Diet 3 and a pigment source added in the grower/finisher period. The feeding value of low tannin sorghum and wheat grains relative to corn were 98% and 96%, respectively. The combinations of sorghum with either corn or wheat on an equal basis had a feeding value of 100% relative to corn. Feed conversion was in favor of the corn and corn-sorghum diets, which was significantly high compared to the wheat, sorghum, and wheat-sorghum diets. The feed cost per kg gain was significantly low in corn-sorghum and sorghum based diets, 4.22% and 3.78% relative to corn based-diet. The use of low tannin US sorghum has an advantage over wheat as cheap alternative to corn in broiler diets.
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