Estimation of an acceptable β-glucan level for broiler chick diets

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to estimate the maximum amount of β-glucan that can be included in a broiler chick starter diet without impairing performance. Oat bran and fat were substituted for corn in a corn–soy diet to provide iso-energetic β-glucan levels of 6.3, 9 and 31 g kg−1 diet. Performance criteria were analyzed for regression on β-glucan level. Impairment of performance was greater for weight gain (W, g day−1) than for excreta condition or feed efficiency. An acceptable dietary β-glucan (G) level (g kg−1) was identified with the predicted performance equal to that of the control diet, from the response surface, W = 28.2 + 0.117 G − 0.00951 G2. Growth impairment was predicted to appear in young broiler chicks only as β-glucan level is increased in iso-energetic diets above 12.3 ± 0.46 g kg−1; conversely 1 and 2% growth inhibitions were predicted when dietary β-glucan levels equal 14.4 and 16.0 g kg−1, respectively. Key words: β-glucan, oats, chick, growth inhibition