TRITICALE USE IN BROILER CHICKEN DIETS AND ITS EFFECT ON PRODUCTION AND ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY FATTENING

Abstract

The purpose of the present studies was to determine the best replacement level of corn by triticale in diets for broilers and effects of different levels of triticale in the diet on production performance, economic efficiency and carcass characteristics of broiler. Substituting 30% of the corn in the feed for triticale did not significantly change the production performances of chickens, but the 60% substitution ratio negatively influenced weight gain, feed intake and the degree of feed capitalization. The high presence of triticales in the feed of broiler chicken led to the decrease of slaughter output and to the deterioration of carcass fat quality, in the sense that the heft of saturated fatty acids increased, at the expense of polyunsaturated ones. Moreover, a significant increase in the viscosity of the intestinal chyle was recorded when triticales were present in the feed, which reduced the speed of intestinal transit and, accordingly, the daily intake and the degree of feed capitalization. The costs for fodder needed to obtain a 1 kg weight gain or a 1 kg carcass meat were 5.25 – 9.69% lower and respectively 4.43 – 7.30% lower by substituting 30% and respectively 60% of the corn in the feed for triticales.