Resource use efficiency of broiler production in tunnel-ventilated environmental control vis-à-vis open-sided...

Present study was conducted to assess the resource use efficiency of broilers production, in tunnel-ventilated environment control (ECBH) and open-sided conventional (OSCBH) house under different stocking densities. Different treatments comprised of T ₀ (birds with floor space, 1.0/ft²/bird in open-sided conventional broiler house (OSCBH) as control, while different treatments in tunnel-ventilated environment control broiler house (ECBH) were T ₁, T ₂, T ₃, T ₄ and T ₅ with floor space of 1.0, 0.9, 0.8, 0.7and 0.6 ft² per bird, respectively. The results of shed microclimate indicated that shed temperature and temperature humidity index (THI) at 12:00 and 15:00 IST and maximum and minimum temperature in OSCBH were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher than ECBH. Litter moisture and pH did not differ significantly and were within permissible limits in both OSCBH and ECBH. Final body weight, body weight gain, feed intake were significantly higher and FCR, PER and EER were significantly better in ECBH than OSCBH (T ₀) even at 10% increase in stocking density (T ₂). Margin of receipt in T ₂ in ECBH from sale of live bird/unit area and kilogram live weight per unit area was maximum which was Rs. 5.08/- and 3.56/- higher than T ₀ for OSCBH.