Effect of dietary fructose on broiler chick performance

The effect of feeding various levels of dietary fructose, furnished by high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), to broiler-type chicks housed in Petersime batteries was studied in two experiments. In experiment 1, HFCS was added to a corn-soybean meal basal diet at levels of 0, 5, 10, and 15%. In Experiment 2, HFCS was added to the diet at levels of 0, 2, 4, 6, and 15%. In both experiments diets were isocaloric and isonitrogenous. In Experiment 1, chicks fed HFCS consumed more feed (P less than or equal to .05) and grew more rapidly (P less than or equal to .05) than chicks fed the control diet. No differences in the feed to gain ratio were observed among treatments. Feeding HFCS resulted in non-significantly higher liver weight and percent liver lipid. Values for kidney weights and plasma uric acid were higher (P less than or equal to .05) in chicks fed 15% HFCS. In Experiment 2, adding 4, 6, and 15% HFCS resulted in more rapid growth (P less than or equal to .05). No significant differences were observed in feed intake and kidney weights. Chicks fed the 15% HFCS diet had heavier (P less than or equal to .05) livers.