Production costs of broiler meat with conventional nutritive composition and with n-3 PUFA enrichment

Abstract

Nutritive quality of broiler meat can be influenced through feeding treatments. The research involved 60 Ross 308 broilers divided into 3 groups (C, A and B). In the first three weeks of fattening, broilers were fed starter diets balanced at 24% of crude proteins and 12.5 MJ ME/kg. Experimental period involved last three weeks of fattening. Dietary treatments differed in the source of supplemented oils: C (5% sunflower oil SO), A (2.5% fish oil FO+2.5% sunflower oil SO) and B (2.5% fish oil FO + 2.5% linseed oil LO). For the purpose of cost calculation per feeding treatment the following data were considered: average broiler live weight, feed consumption and conversion, and costs of feeding mixtures. Total costs of broiler fattening refer to variable and fixed costs. At the end of fattening period average broiler weights were: A 2836 g, C 2713 g and B 2648 g. Calculation of feed costs per kg of live weight were: C 0.60 €‚ A 0.58 €‚ and B 0.66 €. Total costs of broiler production per kg of live weight were: C 1.43 €/kg, A 1.38 €/kg and B 1.51 €/kg. It is to conclude that modification of feed composition could reduce the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio from 10.81% to 1.78% in broiler breasts and from 12.40% to 2.05% in thighs. However, modification of feeding treatments in groups C, A and B affected production costs per one broiler, being 3.88 €, 3.93 € and 4.03 €, respectively.