Comparisons of sorghum grain (Milo) and maize as the principal cereal grain source in poultry rations

Abstract

Two 10‐week battery trials, involving 1120 broiler chicks, were conducted in order to compare the nutritive value of milo with that of maize, and that of fresh local grains with that of stored grains imported from the U.S.A. Each trial involved two comparisons between milo and maize, one with fresh local and one with imported grains. Each comparison included five dietary treatments, in which one grain constituted 100, 75, 50, 25 and o per cent of the cereal portion at the expense of the second grain. All diets were isonitrogenous (without any attempt to equalise energy content also), the dietary protein being derived from the different grains and soyabean meal in various combinations, and from 3 per cent fish meal; plus a uniform supplementation with dl‐methionine. All grains appeared to be sound food‐grade as tested by sight and smell. Under the conditions of this study, there was no consistent difference between milo and maize or local and imported grains, as far as growth rate and efficiency of food utilisation of broilers are concerned, except for a significant difference between the efficiency of food utilisation of local and imported grains in the second trial, in favour of the former. On the other hand, both variables had a significant effect on pigmentation. Broiler shank colour was enhanced by increasing levels of dietary maize from both sources, with local maize affecting the degree of pigmentation by almost 50 per cent, due to its higher xanthophyll content.