Exploration and description

Feed conversion efficiency

A line graph for feed efficiency against age similarly indicated that inclusion of Saccharomyces cerevisiae had little effect. Feed conversion efficiency is expected to decline with age as depicted by the trend, although in weeks 6 to 8 it needs to be remembered that the chickens were also foraging. Feed conversion efficiency estimates between weeks 6 and 8 ignore the consumed amounts of Kikuyu grass that is poorly digested by non-ruminants due to its high fibre content. The decline with age tends to be due to the fact that although chickens eat more as they get older their growth rate remains relatively constant. Nutrient requirements for muscle growth decrease with age, thus reducing the proportion of the feed that is converted into weight gain.