Lignocellulose Improves Protein and Amino Acid Digestibility in Roosters and Egg Hatchability in Broiler Breeders

The present work assessed the effect of supplementation of 0.8% dietary Arbocel^® RC Fine, a readily available commercial lignocellulose, to poultry feed. In a complete randomized design using 36 individually caged mature dubbed Hy-Line roosters (aged 55 weeks) grouped in 4 treatments with 9 birds per treatment, a digestibility trial was performed to determine apparent and true metabolizable energy values along with digestibility coefficients of protein and amino acid in Arbocel^® containing diets. Results showed that 0.8% Arbocel^® supplemented diets improved protein digestibility by 6% (P<0.05). Additionally, Arbocel^® caused an increase in apparent and true amino acid digestibility in roosters when compared to control diets and controls with 0.8% wheat bran (WB) supplementation. In a second experiment, 26,000 layers and 2,600 roosters aged 33 weeks (Ross 308 broiler breeder strain) were maintained in 6 poultry houses at a commercial breeding farm, with an average of 4330 layers and 433 roosters per house. Performance, egg grade, and hatchability rate were assessed over a post peak period of 6 months. Compared to the control group fed the 0.8% WB diet, the 0.8% lignocellulose dietary supplementation resulted in a decrease (P<0.05) in percent infertility leading to an average increase of 4.07% (P<0.05) in egg hatchability. The Arbocel^® fed group had 3.8 more eggs per housed hen compared to control birds. Overall, Arbocel^® supplementation at 0.8% resulted in the production of 5.7 more saleable chicks per housed hen during the 6 months trial, a sizeable profit to the farmer.