Growth rates of Maleo birds (Macrocephalon maleo) fed by different levels of protein in the captivity

Abstract

The objective of the research was to study the growth rate of Maleo birds fed with graded levels of protein in the captivity. The experiment was designed using Randomized Block Design, block based on in-situ and ex-situ habitat and five treatments within three replications. The study used 15 Maleos with one week old from semi-natural hatchery reared in captive housing in in-situ habitat at Lore Lindu National Park, and also 15 Maleos from incubator hatchery reared in captive housing in ex-situ habitat at Experimental Farm of Animal Science Department Agricultural Faculty Tadulako University Palu, Central Sulawesi. The Maleo birds were fed by commercial diets ad libitum. Each Maleo chick was placed in different pen and fed five levels of protein:13.54% (P 1 );15.43% (P2); 17.42% (P3); 19.45% (P4); and 21.42% (P5) with isocaloric diets. Data were analysed using variance analysis of SPSS Program version 16. The results indicated that level of protein significantly improved live weight gain and feed conversion ratio in in-situ habitat, but this trend did not significant in ex-situ condition. Protein level of 17.42% produced a better bird growth. There were no different growth rates of Maleo birds that captive between in-situ and ex-situ has been recorded
during the study.