Effect of dietary sorbitol on the performance of broilers

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Poultry Nutrition
• Metabolic Studies

Background:

• Broiler performance is influenced by diet composition.
• Understanding the metabolic effects of feed additives is crucial for optimizing poultry production.
• Sorbitol's impact on broiler metabolism requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of dietary sorbitol on broiler growth, carcass characteristics, and serum lipid profiles.
• To determine if sorbitol influences abdominal fat deposition in broilers.
• To assess sorbitol's impact on key metabolic indicators like glucose and cholesterol.

Main Methods:

• Male and female broilers were fed either a control diet or a diet supplemented with 100 g/kg sorbitol from 29 to 57 days of age.
• Growth performance (body weight gain, food intake, food efficiency) and diet metabolizable energy (ME) values were assessed.
• Abdominal fat weight, serum glucose, total cholesterol, and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) concentrations were measured.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were observed in body weight gain, food intake, food efficiency, or diet ME values between sorbitol-fed and control groups.
• A significant reduction in both absolute and relative abdominal fat weights was noted in broilers receiving the sorbitol diet.
• Serum analysis revealed significantly lower concentrations of glucose, total cholesterol, and VLDL in broilers fed the sorbitol-containing diet compared to controls.

Conclusions:

• Dietary sorbitol can be effectively used to reduce abdominal fat in broilers without compromising growth performance.
• Sorbitol supplementation demonstrates a positive effect on broiler lipid metabolism, lowering key serum indicators.
• These findings suggest sorbitol as a potential feed additive for improving broiler carcass quality and metabolic health.