Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Gastrointestinal Tract Traits in Response to Dietary Fiber Sources in Broiler Chickens

The effects of dietary insoluble fiber sources on growth performance, gastrointestinal tract (GIT) traits, nutrient digestibility and intestinal enzyme activity were studied in broilers from ۱ to ۴۲ d of age. A total of ۴۸۰ one-day-old chicks (Ross ۳۰۸), were allocated in four treatments, six replicates and ۲۰ birds in each, based on a completely randomized design. Dietary treatments were including a corn-soybean meal basal diet (control diet) and other three diets formulated by the inclusion of ۳۰ g/kg of processed wheat straw (WS), sunflower hulls (SFH), or soybean hulls (SBH) in the control diet. From ۱ to ۱۰ d of age, broiler chickens fed processed WS tended to have higher feed intake than broilers fed the control diet (P = ۰.۰۶۴) and had higher body weight gain than broilers fed the other treatments (P < ۰.۰۵). The relative weight of the GIT organs was not affected by treatments but SFH and SBH decreased the length of the small intestine at ۴۲ d of age (P < ۰.۰۵). The pH of different segments of the GIT, carcass traits, dry matter, nitrogen digestibility, and apparent metabolizable energy corrected by nitrogen were not affected by treatments. The activity of amylase and aminopeptidase in the duodenum and jejunum was not affected by the insoluble fiber sources. In conclusion, the dilution of the control diet with the inclusion of ۳۰ g/kg insoluble fiber did not have any negative effect on broiler chickens' performance and marketing weight. Moreover, improved performance was observed with processed WS, particularly during the starter period.

Keywords:

Broiler chickens , Processed wheat straw , Gastro-intestinal tract , Nutrient digestibility