FEEDING OF BROILERS WITH SACCHARINA OR LEUCASACCHARINA

Eight hundred and forty Cornish x White Plymouth Rock broilers from bi rth to 42 days of age were used to compare the following four treatmen ts: 1) feed control, 2) feed with 10% Saccharina, 3) feed with 10% Leu casaccharina (80% sugar cane + 20% Leucaena leaves as basic substrate) and 4) feed with 8% Saccharina + 2% Leucaena leaves. An analysis of v ariance according to a completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 6 replications was used. Bird performance of treatments 1, 2, 3 an d 4 was as follows: 1414, 1504, 1529 and 1445 g live weight gain/bird, 3174, 2954, 2984 and 2987 g of traditional feed consumption/bird, 2.2 4, 2.18, 2.12 and 2.30 of total conversion and 2.24, 1.96, 1.90 and 2. 06 of traditional feed conversion. Viability was high in all treatment s. The utilization of 10% Leucasaccharina in feeds for broilers in the productive areas of Leucaena and sugar cane is recommended and the ad vantages of the inclusion of 10% Saccharina are also confirmed.