Abstract
A total of 378 unsexed Anak broiler chicks were used to assess the effects of varying energy levels and manipulation on growth, haematology, and carcass traits. The experiment was conducted in two phases. First, one-day-old chicks were randomly assigned to one of three starter diets, which differed in their energy density (LSE: 2786.80 Kcal/kg; OSE: 3015.40 Kcal/kg; and HSE: 3252.20 Kcal/kg). The chicks were assigned to seven replicates per treatment with 18 chicks per replicate. When the chicks were 27 days old, they were randomly re-allocated to three finisher diets (LFE: 2770.66 Kcal/kg, OFE: 2961.74 Kcal/kg, and HFE: 3150.43 Kcal/kg). Thus, there were seven replicates of nine treatments with six chicks per replicate in the finishing phase. The starter and finisher diets were isonitrogenous. Birds fed the OSE and HSE starter diets gained more weight and were heavier at 27 days than birds fed LSE. Energy intake by birds fed HSE was greater than by birds fed OSE, and birds fed OSE had greater energy intake than birds fed LSE. Feed conversion ratio was improved for birds fed OSE and HSE. Birds fed LSE and then HFE consumed the least feed and gained as much or more weight during the finisher phase as any other group. Overall, FCR between days 27 and 50 tended to differ among the treatments (P =0.06). Total protein intake increased with decreasing dietary energy in both phases. Varying dietary energy levels did not affect the haematological parameters, carcass traits and internal organ weights.
Highlights
In the last few decades, selection of and improvements in nutrition and management of broiler chickens have contributed to their increased growth performance
The present study aimed to investigate the effects of manipulating the energy density of the finisher diet on growth performance, haematology and carcass traits of broilers that had been fed low, optimum and high energy-density starter diets
FI was not affected by the varying levels of dietary energy treatment (P > 0.05)
Summary
In the last few decades, selection of and improvements in nutrition and management of broiler chickens have contributed to their increased growth performance. The response of the modern broiler chicken in growth rate, breast meat yield and feed conversion efficiency correlates strongly with both dietary energy and amino acid densities (Dozier et al, 2010; Gous et al, 2018). Feed manipulation programmes that are aimed at changing the pattern of growth and thereby reducing storage requirements have been duly considered These strategies can take the form of ad libitum access to less energy-dense diets or time-dependent control of daily FI. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of manipulating the energy density of the finisher diet on growth performance, haematology and carcass traits of broilers that had been fed low, optimum and high energy-density starter diets
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