Effects of drinking water differing in dissolved oxygen concentration on growth performance of broiler

The objective of this study was to adapt the Gompertz function to growth data of chickens to testing the effects of oxygen-enriched drinking water on growth performance of Ross 308 broilers. Daily body weight change of chickens was determined from seven days of age to 49 days of age. Two treatment groups were included: control (5.50 mg/l dissolved oxygen), treatment (13.85 mg/l dissolved oxygen). The effect of oxygen-enriched drinking water on growth performance of chickens was determined by repeated measures analysis of variance. Gompertz growth function was applied to estimate growth parameters such as mature weight, growth rate and the age (days) at maximum daily weight gain of males and females for each group. Repeated measures analysis of variance showed a significant day x sex interaction effect (P=0.000). Tukey multiple comparison test revealed no difference between sex in the first 15 days (P=O. 196). However, live weight of males form day 16 onward started to differ from the live weight of females (P=0.039). Though feed conversion efficiencies of the two groups were similar, feed conversion efficiency of the treatment group was slightly better than that of the control group especially in weeks 3, 4 and 5. The Gompertz growth model fitted to chicken weight and age data very well with R-2>98%. Mature weight of females of treatment group (4,841 g +/- 93.4) was higher than of control group (4,348 g +/- 82.3). However, growth rate of females for treatment and control groups were same (0.46). Females in treatment group (27.7 d +/- 0.46) attained the maximum growth one day earlier than those in control group (28.8 d +/- 0.44). Mature weight (6,604 g +/- 175) of males of treatment group was higher than that (6,526 g +/- 149) of males of control group. Growth rate and age (days) at maximum daily weight gain of males were similar for both groups.