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Nutritional effects on the growth and fatness of broilers
R M Gous1, G C Emmans, L A Broadbent
1Department of Animal Science and Poultry Science, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
British Poultry Science
|September 1, 1990
Summary
High-protein diets significantly reduce abdominal fat in broiler chickens, suggesting birds regulate their intake to maintain a specific body fatness. This finding offers insights into broiler nutrition and fat deposition control.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Poultry Nutrition
- Avian Physiology
Background:
- Broiler chickens often exhibit high abdominal fat content, a trait influenced by genetics and diet.
- Understanding factors affecting fat deposition is crucial for optimizing broiler meat quality and production efficiency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of dietary protein levels and specific feed formulations on abdominal fat content in broiler chickens.
- To explore the relationship between diet composition and the potential for broiler chickens to self-regulate body fatness.
Main Methods:
- Broiler chickens were fed diets varying in protein content, including high-protein options and choice-feeding scenarios.
- Abdominal fat content was measured in grams per kilogram of liveweight at different ages and body weights across two geographical locations (Scotland and South Africa).
- Dietary manipulations included dilution with oil, starch, or dietary fiber to assess their effects on fat deposition and liveweight gain.
Main Results:
- High-protein diets or choice-feeding with a high-protein balancer resulted in significantly lower abdominal fat content compared to typical values.
- Reducing dietary protein or diluting feed with oil/starch generally increased abdominal fat.
- Diluting feed with dietary fiber reduced abdominal fat but also decreased liveweight gain.
Conclusions:
- Broiler chickens appear to regulate their food intake to achieve a target level of body fatness.
- This target fatness varies between sexes and developmental stages (maturity).
- Dietary strategies, particularly high-protein feeding, can effectively modulate abdominal fat deposition in broilers.