Sunflower meal for broilers of 22 to 42 days of age

Lúcio Francelino Araújo,Antonio Carlos De Laurentiz,Cristiane Soares Da Silva Araújo,Natália Barros Petroli,Messias Alves De Trindade Neto,Ricardo De Albuquerque

doi:10.1590/s1516-35982011001000011

Abstract

The objective of the present experiment was to evaluate the inclusion of sunflower meal in diets formulated on total or digestible amino acid basis fed to broilers of 22 to 42 days of age. Nine hundred and sixty birds were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement (two formulation criteria - digestible or total amino acids; two sunflower meal inclusion levels - 0 or 15%), with six replicates of 40 broilers each. Performance (weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion) and data from carcass characteristics (eviscerated carcass and commercial cuts) were evaluated. On day 42, six birds from each pen were sacrificed to determine digesta viscosity, and litter samples from each replicate pen were collected to determine litter moisture. The inclusion of 15% sunflower meal in broiler diets formulated on total amino acid basis worsens feed conversion ratio. Diets formulated on digestible amino acid basis are adequate when alternative feedstuffs, such as sunflower meal, are included. The use of sunflower meal in the diet does not influence carcass and cuts yields, but digesta viscosity increases when 15% of that feedstuff is included in the diet.

Highlights

Sunflower meal is a byproduct of sunflower seed oil extraction, and it is economically important due to its abundance and use as an alternative protein source in broiler feeds
The inclusion of 15% sunflower meal in broiler diets formulated on total amino acid basis worsens feed conversion ratio
Diets formulated on digestible amino acid basis are adequate when alternative feedstuffs, such as sunflower meal, are included

Summary

Introduction

Sunflower meal is a byproduct of sunflower seed oil extraction, and it is economically important due to its abundance and use as an alternative protein source in broiler feeds. Silveira et al (1967) and Rad & Keshavarz (1976) demonstrated that the addition of lysine improves the performance of broilers fed diets containing sunflower meal as main protein source. According to Dale (1992), when formulating feeds based on their composition of total amino acids, rather than digestible amino acids, huge mistakes can be made, because the same relative values are attributed to both synthetic amino acids and those present in the feedstuffs, thereby underestimating the value of synthetic amino acids, which availability is of approximately 100%, whereas those present in natural sources present lower availability. The present study was developed to evaluated diets containing sunflower meal formulated on total or digestible amino acid basis fed to 22- to 42-day-old broilers

Material and Methods

Results and Discussion

Conclusions