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The Growth Performance of Indigenous Kenyan Chickens Fed Diets Containing Different Levels of Protein during Rearing

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Abstract

A study was conducted to investigate the growth response of indigenous chickens in Kenya offered ad libitum diets with 18%, 20%, 22% or 24% crude protein. The body weights of the birds were recorded weekly and used in statistical analysis to determine the effect of the diets, using covariance analysis to adjust for the effect of the proportion of males in each pen. There was a significant effect only in the early growth stages, when diets of a higher protein level gave better growth than diets with less protein. This advantage was later lost. Adjusting for the differences in the proportion of males was important for determining the dietary effect.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Statistics and Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, The University of Reading, PO Box 240, Earley Gat, Reading, RG6 6FN, UK

    J.M. Ndegwa, R. Mead & P. Norrish

  2. Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, National Animal Husbandry Research Centre, PO Box 25, Naivasha, Kenya

    C.W. Kimani & A.M. Wachira

Authors
  1. J.M. Ndegwa
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  2. R. Mead
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  3. P. Norrish
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  4. C.W. Kimani
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  5. A.M. Wachira
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Ndegwa, J., Mead, R., Norrish, P. et al. The Growth Performance of Indigenous Kenyan Chickens Fed Diets Containing Different Levels of Protein during Rearing. Tropical Animal Health and Production 33, 441–448 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010552008639

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010552008639

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