Soft-Pellet Feed Strategy for Broilers: Effects on Growth Performance and Liver-Intestinal Health

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Poultry Nutrition
• Feed Technology

Background:

• Feed form significantly impacts broiler performance and health.
• Soft-pellet feed (SPF) can enhance early growth but may cause later health issues.
• Hard-pellet feed (HPF) is a common alternative, but its early-stage benefits are less clear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effects of different feed forms (crumbled-pellet feed (CPF), HPF, standard SPF, low-nutrient SPF) on broiler performance and health.
• To determine the optimal feeding strategy combining different feed forms across two growth stages.
• To investigate the impact of feed form and nutrient composition on intestinal health and microbiota.

Main Methods:

• 288 male Cobb broilers were assigned to four dietary treatments for 42 days.
• The trial was divided into two stages: days 1-21 and days 22-42.
• Key performance indicators, physiological parameters, intestinal morphology, and microbiota diversity were assessed.

Main Results:

• Standard SPF improved early growth, feed conversion, and gut health compared to CPF.
• Continuous SPF feeding in the later stage increased abdominal fat, cholesterol, and reduced microbiota diversity.
• Switching to HPF in stage 2 maintained growth performance without negative health consequences.
• Low-nutrient SPF supported growth but posed a risk of dysbiosis.

Conclusions:

• A strategy of standard-nutrient SPF in the early stage followed by HPF in the later stage maximized broiler performance and preserved health.
• Feed form and nutrient composition interact, necessitating further studies with iso-nutrient controls to isolate the effect of feed form.
• The findings provide insights into optimizing broiler feeding programs for improved productivity and welfare.