Effects of different levels of dietary metabolisable energy and crude protein on performance and caracase characteristics of Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar) during growing period (8-16 wk)

A total of 270 chukar partridges were used in this study to determine the effects of grower diet with differing crude protein (CP) and metabolisable energy (ME) levels on the body weight (BW), live weight gain (LWG), feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and carcase characteristics of chukar partridge raised in captivity. Chukar partridges were fed on grower diets containing 3 level of CP (14, 15.5 and 17%) and 3 level of ME (2800, 3000 and 3200Kcal/kg) from 8 to 16 weeks of age. Nine grower diets were arranged in a 3×3 factorial design with 3 levels of CP and 3 levels of ME. Each treatment was replicated three times with each replicate consisting of 5 males and 5 females. There were no significant effects of ME and CP on BW and LWG at 16 weeks of age (p< 0.05). The FI and FCR for 8 to 16 weeks period were not affected by dietary CP level. But the daily mean FI and FCR decreased when the ME level of grower diet increased (p< 0.05), the lowest FI and FCR were in partridges fed on a diet containing 3200KcalME/kg. The carcase and breast weights of male partridges affected by dietary ME level (p< 0.05), the lowest carcase and breast weights of male partridges were in groups fed on a diet containing 3000KcalME/kg. Weights of all carcase components of the male partridges were significantly greater than those of the carcase components of the females. There were no significant interaction between CP and ME levels on BW, LWG, FI, FCR and carcase characteristics (p< 0.05). It is concluded that the grower diet for chukar partridge raised for meat production should contain at least 14%CP and 2800KcalME/kg.