ECONOMICS OF PRODUCTION OF BROILER CHICKENS FED MAGGOT MEAL AS REPLACEMENT FOR FISH MEAL

Abstract

The economics of production of broiler chickens considered for 0-35 days, 35-56 days, and 0-56 days was compared for fishmeal (FM) and maggot meal (MM) diets. The maggot meal diet was a replacement of the fish meal at 75% on protein basis. Replacing FM at 75% with MM resulted in reduced cost of feed as well as cost /kilogramme weight gain of broiler chicken at starter, finisher and the overall production period. Consequently, net returns were raised by 15.79%, 12.28% and 13.63%. respectively at the starter, finisher and during the overall production period. The increase in net returns are encouraging as the least -cost diet had no negative effect on the performance of the birds. Therefore the profit-maximising objective of commercial broiler enterprises is achievable by MM utilization in broiler feed as replacement for FM under this condition of reduced cost of production.