Performance of broilers fed Maniçoba hay in the semiarid region of Paraíba, Brazil

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the partial replacement of the conventional diet with maniçoba (Manihot glaziovii Muell. Arg.) hay on the performance and carcass quality of free-range broiler chickens. 192 animals, from four different strains were used: Master Griss Plum, Barred Plymouth Rock, Naked Neck Label Rouge and New Hampshire, with initial age of 38 days. The birds were distributed in a completely randomized design with three treatments (replacement of 0.0, 7.5 and 15.0% of the basal diet with maniçoba hay) and four replications consisting of 16 birds (two pairs of each strain). There was a decrease in protein intake and an increase in fiber intake with the increase of hay in the diet, and the birds fed with 15.0% of hay had lower weight gain (1476.56 g bird^-1), higher food conversion (2344.19 g), lower carcass percentage (70.74%) and absolute breast weight (417.03 g). It was observed that the use of up to 7.5% of ration replacement with maniçoba hay is a viable alternative.