Authors : B. Hu, C.R. Stark and J. Brake
Abstract: A 14 days cage study followed by a 35 days floor pen study investigated the effect of percentage fines in crumbles and percentage pellets, respectively on broiler performance. The cage study was a 2x6 factorial of sex and feed forms (mash, 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% crumbles). There were 10 birds in each of the 8 replicated cages for each of the 12 interactions. Birds were fed corn-soy starter diets in either mash or crumble form. Nine birds per cage were thereafter moved to floor pens at 15 days of age and fed grower and finisher diets comprised of either 50 or 100% pellets. BW and feed consumption were determined at 7, 14, 28, 35, 42 and 49 days of age and Adjusted Feed Conversion Ratio (AdjFCR) was calculated by including the BW of dead birds. Gizzard weight and BW were obtained from one bird per pen at 14 and 49 days of age. The actual percentage crumbles in the 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% starter diets was 9, 39, 53, 75 and 93%, respectively. The percentage pellets in the 50 and 100% pelleted grower and finisher diets was 46 and 97% and 51 and 81%, respectively. The 14 days BW of the birds fed the crumbles was greater than those fed mash (mean 488 versus 421 g) and the BW of the chicks increased linearly as the percentage crumbles increased. The greater BW observed due to crumble quality at 14 days in the cages disappeared by 35 days in the floor pens. Birds fed 100% pellets were heavier (3,602 g) than 50% pellets (3,424 g) at 49 days with improved AdjFCR (2.02 versus 2.08) from 15-49 days. The relative gizzard weight of birds fed 50% pellets was greater (0.43 versus 0.35 g/100 g BW) at 49 days of age. The results of these studies indicated that differences in BW due to percentage crumbles in the starter feed was not evident after 28 days while the greater percentage pellets in the grower and finisher feeds produced a greater BW and improved AdjFCR.
B. Hu, C.R. Stark and J. Brake, 2012. Evaluation of Crumble and Pellet Quality on Broiler Performance and Gizzard Weight. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 11: 2453-2458.