Unhydrolyzed vegetable sucrose polyester in broiler diets.

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Poultry Nutrition
• Feed Additives

Background:

• Broiler nutrition aims to optimize growth and meat quality.
• Feed additives are evaluated for their impact on broiler performance and carcass characteristics.
• Xanthophylls are crucial for desirable yolk and skin coloration, impacting consumer preference.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effects of unhydrolyzed vegetable sucrose polyester (UVSP) on broiler growth, feed intake, feed conversion, and shank coloration.
• To determine the optimal inclusion level of UVSP in broiler diets without compromising performance.
• To assess the impact of UVSP on xanthophyll utilization and its effect on shank yellowness.

Main Methods:

• Duplicate 42-day broiler studies using a randomized-block design.
• Dietary treatments included 0% to 2.5% UVSP added to starter and finisher diets.
• Measurements included body weight, daily feed intake, feed conversion, litter moisture, and shank yellowness using a Minolta Chroma-meter.

Main Results:

• UVSP up to 2.5% did not significantly affect body weights, feed intake, feed conversion, or litter moisture in either study.
• In Experiment 2, broilers fed 0.5%, 2.0%, or 2.5% UVSP showed significantly greater average body weights compared to controls.
• UVSP inclusion (≥0.5%) significantly reduced shank yellowness, suggesting reduced xanthophyll utilization.

Conclusions:

• UVSP can be included in broiler diets up to 2.5% without adverse effects on growth performance or litter quality.
• UVSP inclusion significantly impacts shank coloration, necessitating further investigation into xanthophyll requirements.
• Additional pigment titration trials are recommended to determine the levels of xanthophyll needed to counteract the effect of UVSP.