Effect of dietary fiber, genetic strain and age on the digestive metabolism of broiler chickens

• Main Authors: RV Krás, A de M Kessler, AML Ribeiro, JD Henn, L Bockor, AF Sbrissia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Fundação APINCO de Ciência e Tecnologia Avícolas 2013-06-01
• Series: Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science
• Subjects: Age; fiber; metabolism; pair-fed; strain
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-635X2013000200003&lng=en&tlng=en

In this study, 360 male broilers, out of which 240 of a fast-growing strain (Cobb500), and 120 of a slow-growing strain (Label Rouge), were used to evaluate the effect of dietary fiber on digesta transit time and digestive metabolism during the period of 1 to 42 days of age. A completely randomized experimental design with a 3x2 factorial arrangement was applied, consisting of three groups of birds (slow-growing - SG; fast-growing fed ad libitum - FGAL; and fast-growing pair-fed with SG broilers - FGPF) and two iso-protein diets (a 3100 kcal ME/kg low-fiber diet - LFD- and a 2800 kcal ME/kg high-fiber diet - HFD- with 14% wheat bran and 4% oat hulls). HFD-fed birds presented lower ME retention (p < 0.001) and lower dry matter metabolizability (DMM) (p < 0.001), which is possibly related to the shorter digesta transit time observed in these birds (p < 0.001). DMM was reduced with age, whereas metabolizable energy remained almost constant (p < 0.001) independently of strain. This may be related to the increase in feed intake as birds age. The slow-growing strain did not present better utilization of the high-fiber diet as compared to the fast-growing strain in none of the analyzed ages, even though showing a significant better use of fiber and dietary energy from 31 days of age.