Effect of Oat Hulls Incorporated in the Diet or Fed as Free Choice on Growth Performance, Carcass Yield, Gut Morphology and Digesta Short Chain Fatty Acids of Broiler Chickens

Deborah Adewole,Janice Macisaac,Bruce Rathgeber,Gillian Fraser

doi:10.3390/su12093744

Abstract

The use of high fiber agricultural byproducts in poultry nutrition can help not only to reduce feed cost but also to promote gastrointestinal functionality and growth performance and enhance environmental sustainability. This study was conducted to examine the effect of oat hulls (OH) incorporated in the diet or fed as free choice on growth performance, intestinal morphology, cecal short chain fatty acids (SCFA) production and carcass yield of broiler chickens. Day old broiler chickens were assigned to 4 dietary treatment groups which consisted of a corn–soybean meal–wheat based diet (Basal), Basal + bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD), Basal + 3% OH (3% OH) and Basal + free choice OH (FCOH). Each group had six replicate pens of 27 chicks and were raised for 39 d. Feed intake (FI), body weight gain (BWG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were determined weekly for each pen. One chicken/pen was slaughtered on d 36 to determine organ weights, jejunal morphology, digesta pH and cecal SCFA and two chickens/pen were slaughtered on d 39 to determine carcass weight and yield. Diet had no effect on FI, except on d 28, when the FCOH group had higher FI than the 3% OH groups. During the starter phase, chickens fed 3% OH had the highest BWG and lowest FCR, which were significantly different (p < 0.05) from those fed FCOH. Chickens fed 3% OH had the highest slaughter, hot carcass, and cold carcass weights, which were significantly different (p < 0.05) from those fed FCOH. Diet had no effect on jejunal villus height and crypt depth, ileal and cecal digesta pH, and cecal SCFA. Chickens fed FCOH had a larger (p < 0.0001) gizzard weight and showed a tendency to have a larger (p = 0.09) ceca weight than other treatment groups. In conclusion, the inclusion of 3% OH in an antibiotic-free diet has the potential to enhance growth performance, while free choice OH increases the gizzard weight of broiler chickens.

Highlights

To preserve the potency of clinically important antibiotics, there has been a gradual reduction and an anticipated elimination of their use in food-producing animals including broiler chickens [1]
For the overall body weight gain (BWG), free choice oat hulls (FCOH) was significantly lower than bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD) and 3% Oat hulls (OH) but not different from the basal diet
On d 8 and 15, the lowest feed conversion ratio (FCR) was observed for birds fed 3% OH, while the highest was recorded for those fed FCOH

Summary

Introduction

To preserve the potency of clinically important antibiotics, there has been a gradual reduction and an anticipated elimination of their use in food-producing animals including broiler chickens [1]. High fiber ingredients have been shown to have prebiotic effects and their use in animal production could promote gut health and growth performance [3]. It has been shown that young broiler chickens may have a requirement for dietary fiber to optimize nutrient digestibility and growth performance [8] This requirement is not yet known but studies have demonstrated the ability of poultry to self-select their own diets in order to meet their nutritional requirements [13]. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of OH incorporated in the diet or fed as free choice on growth performance, carcass yield, organ weights, digesta pH, SCFA production and intestinal morphology in broiler chickens

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion