Measurement of crude protein requirement of cockerel finishers by two empirical methods

Two empirical methods, namely the orthodox or traditional and diet dilution technique, were used to measure the responses of 96 14-week-old Black Olympian cockerel finishers to graded dietary crude protein (CP) levels of 16, 18, 20 and 22 per cent on airdry basis in a 6-week trial. The diets were isocaloric (ca 2600 kcal kg-1 metabolisable energy). Both methods indicated that weight gains, feed conversion ratio, and protein efficiency ratio were optimized by diets containing 18 per cent CP level at minimal cost of feed per unit gain. The results, thus, confirm that both methods are equally good in predicting the CP requirements of finishing cockerels.