Performance of organic free range broiler chicken fed germinated wheat in addition to either mash or pelleted feed

While pelleted feed provides balanced nutrients in each pellet, the lower production costs of mash feed ensure its widespread use. Germinated wheat is always fed in combination with a feed mixture, and in order to determine its preferable feed form, a trial with 320 slow-growing broiler chicken (ISA JA 757) in a moblie housing system compared mash and pelleted feed with and without germinated wheat. Based on the lack of interaction between feed form and offer of germinated wheat, both feed forms were found equally suited for the combination. Growth performance of the birds was not affected by feed form, but pelleted feed decreased feed consumption and improved feed conversion ratio. Germinated wheat was eagerly consumed, but replaced a considerable part of the feed mixture and thereby diluted the total diet, it is therefore necessary to adjust the accompanying feed accordingly.