SHORT COMMUNICATION
The effect of supplementing a symbiotic, organic
acids, or β-glucanase to barley-based diets on the
performance of broiler chickens
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The August Cieszkowski Agricultural University of Poznań,
Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Management,
Wołyńska 33, 60-637 Poznań, Poland
Publication date: 2005-06-26
Corresponding author
D. Józefiak
The August Cieszkowski Agricultural University of Poznań,
Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Management,
Wołyńska 33, 60-637 Poznań, Poland
J. Anim. Feed Sci. 2005;14(Suppl. 1):447-450
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
A total of 384 male broiler chickens were divided into four groups, 12 replicates each with 8
birds per replicate. Four barley-based diets were prepared. The control diet (C) was unsupplemented,
diet A was supplemented with flavomycin (10 mg/kg), diet OS was supplemented with organic acids
(3 g/kg) and a symbiotic composed of a probiotic and lactose (1:2, w/w), diet E was supplemented
with β-glucanase (1 g/kg). Diets were fed from 1 to 35 days of age. In the OS group the body weight
gain (BWG) was highest (P<0.05), while feed conversion ratio (FCR) was similar as in group E,
but better (P<0.05) than in groups A and C. The viscosity of ileal digesta was 1.55 in group E, while
in the remaining groups it averaged 2.37 mPas.s (P<0.05). The pH of caecal digesta was lowest in
group OS (5.88), followed by E (6.06), while in groups A and C groups it averaged 6.33 (P<0.05),
which points to increased production of short-chain fatty acids. It seems that a combination of
organic acids and a symbiotic can replace antibiotic growth promoters in broiler diets.
CITATIONS (2):
1.
Effect of Citric Acid on the Utilization of Olive Cake Diets for Laying Hens
Mohammed A. Al-Harthi, Youssef A. Attia
Italian Journal of Animal Science
2.
Use of citric acid in broiler diets
K.M.S. ISLAM
World's Poultry Science Journal