Year: 2012
Type: article
Abstract: Ninety (90), day-old Anak broiler birds were used to evaluate the cost of medication in commercial broiler production in the tropics in a study that lasted eight weeks. Three treatment groups were involved in the experiment: A control (No medication), B (routine prophylaxis) and C (routine vaccination and continuous coccidiostat). The experimental design employed was Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The birds were fed ad libitum and freely provided with drinking water. Daily feed intake and weekly body weight were recorded. Results showed that significant (P<0.05) differences existed in weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion efficiency. Treatment C had better production indices than treatments A and B. With respect to economic indices evaluated vis-à-vis cost of production/bird, relative cost/bird, total sales, mortality rate and gross margin; treatment C that recorded the highest cost of production/bird and relative cost/bird gave better total sales, mortality and gross margin among other treatments. It is therefore concluded that cost of prophylaxis did not adversely affect the production cost and it is necessary so as to safeguard against any sporadic or enzootic diseases that might by chance attack the flock and cause unprecedented loss of cash and meat.
Source: TSpace (University of Toronto)
Language: English
Subfield: Animal Science and Zoology
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W176186319