This work aimed to evaluate a utilization of the Salt brush (Atriplex nummularia) irrigated with residue from desalination as an alternative to Caipira French chickens' fattening diet. Hundred twenty chickens (60 males and 60 females), 28 day old, were selected individually away and by body weight and were distributed in a complete randomized design with four treatments, five repetitions and six chickens by experimental unit. Experimental diets were isonutritious and formulated by cassava hay (CH), Atriplex hay (AH), corn grain and soybean meal. It was used four treatments: 0%, 35%, 65% and 100% with replacement of CH by the AH in the base feed. There was no significant difference amount the intake of dry matter, crude protein and gross energy in relation to the replacement of CH by the AH who presents media of 133.9g/chicken/day, 19.8g/chicken/day and 543.3Kcal/chicken/day respectively. The feed gain ratio of the diets tested had linearly increased. With a 17.7% replacement of CH by AH can be obtained maximum gains of 432.4g and 14.4g / day, respectively for total and daily average gain. The replacement of CH by the AH in the range from 46.4 to 50% showed better results for carcass weight and economic value in diets.
aviculture; fiber; salinity; semiarid