Feed acidification and steam-conditioning temperature influence nutrient utilization in broiler chickens fed...

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Nutritional Science
• Feed Technology

Background:

• Feed processing conditions significantly influence nutrient availability and broiler performance.
• Understanding the interaction between feed processing (conditioning temperature) and feed additives (acidifiers) is crucial for optimizing broiler nutrition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effects of conditioning temperature (CT) on broiler performance and nutrient digestibility.
• To investigate the interactive effects of feed acidification (FA) and CT on broiler performance, nutrient digestibility, and apparent metabolizable energy (AME).

Main Methods:

• Two experiments were conducted using wheat-based diets fed to broilers from 1 to 21 days posthatch.
• Experiment 1 assessed three CTs (unconditioned, 60°C, 90°C) in mash diets.
• Experiment 2 evaluated a 3x2 factorial arrangement of FA levels (0, 7, 10 g/kg) and CTs (60°C, 90°C) in pelleted diets.

Main Results:

• High CT (90°C) tended to reduce feed intake and worsen feed-to-gain ratio, while significantly lowering AME and the coefficient of apparent ileal digestibility (CAID) of nitrogen and starch in mash diets.
• In pelleted diets, FA significantly improved the CAID of nitrogen, fat, and phosphorus, and starch at higher inclusion levels.
• High CT (90°C) reduced the CAID of starch, fat, and calcium, irrespective of FA inclusion.

Conclusions:

• High conditioning temperatures during broiler feed manufacturing can impair nutrient utilization and feed efficiency.
• Feed acidification offers benefits for nutrient digestibility in broilers, particularly when using pelleted wheat-based diets.