Effects of dietary ammonium sulphate (AS) on the performance and abdominal fat of broilers

Abstract

Two experiments were designed to investigate the response of broilers to dietary inclusion of ammonium sulphate. In experiment 1, day old chicks were fed diets with 0, 1, 2 or 3 % ammonium sulphate (AS) during the starter phase (0-4 weeks). In experiment 2, broilers chicks were raised on a standard diet from 0 - 4 weeks of age and then switched to diets with 0, 1, 2 or 3% ammonium sulphate during the finisher phase ( 5-8 weeks). In experiment 1, feed intake was significantly (P<0.05) suppressed by the dietary ammonium sulphate, while weight gain at market age was not significantly affected (P>0.05), however, in experiment 2, both feed intake and weight gain at market age were significantly suppressed (P<0.05) by the dietary ammonium sulphate. There was no significant effect of dietary ammonium sulphate on feed to gain ratio among broilers in any of the two experiments (P>0.05). Dietary ammonium sulphate did not affect broilers liveability at any of the period. Protein retention was comparable (P>0.05) while fat availability was significantly reduced (P<0.05) at 3% inclusion of ammonium sulphate in broilers diets. Abdominal fat was significantly increased (P<0.05) at 2% dietary ammonium sulphate during the starter phase while there was no significant effect (P>0.05) of dietary ammonium sulphate on the abdominal fat during the finisher period. It was concluded that ammonium sulphate can be used as a feed intake suppressant and would be more effective in the broiler starter diet than in the finisher diet.