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Compositional Variations in Wheat Bran Influence Growth Performance, Nutrient Retention, and Cecal Microbiome in
Yujing Feng1, Songjun Jiao1, Ying Zhang1
1The State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China.
Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI
|December 17, 2024
Summary
Low-fiber wheat bran improved nutrient digestion and gut health in broilers. High-fiber wheat bran negatively impacted growth performance and nutrient digestibility in broiler chickens. This study highlights the importance of wheat bran composition for broiler nutrition.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Poultry Nutrition
- Gut Health
Background:
- Wheat bran is a valuable feed ingredient for broilers, known to stimulate digestive development and improve fiber digestibility.
- However, wheat bran's nutritional composition varies significantly, potentially impacting its efficacy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of different wheat bran types on broiler growth performance, nutrient digestion, and gut health.
- To categorize wheat bran based on its fiber content and analyze its impact on broiler chickens.
Main Methods:
- Eight wheat bran types were analyzed for nine constituents and clustered into low-fiber (LF), medium-fiber (MF), and high-fiber (HF) groups using principal component analysis.
- A feeding trial with 324 broiler chicks evaluated diets supplemented with 3% LF, MF, or HF wheat bran until 21 days of age.
- Growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and cecal microbiota were assessed.
Main Results:
- High-fiber (HF) wheat bran increased the feed/gain ratio and reduced dry matter, gross energy digestion, and energy and crude protein (CP) retention.
- Low-fiber (LF) wheat bran enhanced CP and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestion coefficients without negatively affecting nutrient retention.
- LF wheat bran supplementation led to an enrichment of Barnesiella in the cecal digesta, while MF wheat bran enriched Lachnospiracea.
Conclusions:
- Wheat bran type significantly influences broiler performance and gut health.
- Low-fiber wheat bran shows potential for improving protein and fiber digestion and modulating gut microbiota in broilers.
- Careful selection of wheat bran based on its fiber content is crucial for optimizing broiler nutrition and health.
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