Suplementación de harina de remolacha (beta vulgaris l.) efecto en la pigmentación y otros parámetros productivos en pollos de engorde.

Abstract

This research was carried out at Quinta Santa Ana, located in the community of Cohete, parish of San Pedro de Suma, Canton El Carmen, located at km 6 of the road to Pedernales, with the objective of evaluating the effect of beet meal (Beta vulgaris) supplementation on pigmentation in chickens. A Complete Randomized Design (CRD) was used with four treatments and four observations for a total of 16 chickens per treatment. An analysis of variance with Tukey's significance test at 5% was performed with the help of INFOSTAT statistical software (Version 2020I). The variables evaluated were feed conversion rate, feed consumption, body weight, mortality percentage, cost-benefit analysis and pigmentation level, which was determined with the Roche York Colour Fan scale. In the case of the productive variables, there were no significant differences and the best results in terms of weight gain and feed conversion index were obtained in the treatments with 10 and 15% feed supplementation. All treatments showed higher coloration levels than the control; however, the 15% beet meal supplementation achieved a higher increase in pigmentation with levels of 9,5. The benefit/cost ratio was greater than 1 in all the treatments applied in this research, which indicates that in all cases it is possible to generate profits for the producers by using this feed alternative.