Impact of early feeding of highly available carbohydrate source on subsequent growth performance, carcass traits, blood biochemical parameters, and intestinal morphology of broilers

Abstract

SUMMARY: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of early dextrose (Dex) feeding on subsequent growth performance of broilers. A total of 700 male day-old broiler chicks were randomly allocated into 50 floor pens (in a balanced completely randomized design with 2 treatments) receiving either a control corn–soybean meal-based diet (control treatment) or a diet in which corn was partially (5%) replaced by Dex Monohydrate (Dex treatment). The performance data were recorded at 7, 20, 30, 40 d. Samples of the birds were slaughtered at 7, and 40 d of age, and their carcass, serum, and intestinal morphology traits were analyzed. The results showed that early feeding of the Dex resulted in significant improvement in weight gain (WG) during d 1 to 7 (P < 0.01), 21-30 (P < 0.05), and 1-40 (P < 0.01), as well as the carcass traits at d 40 (P < 0.05). Feeding Dex increased serum glucose, total protein, globulin, triiodothyronine (T3), and T3/T4 ratio (P < 0.05). Duodenal villi height, crypt depth, and villus to crypt ratio (V/C) were affected (P < 0.05) by early Dex feeding. In conclusion, early feeding of a highly available carbohydrate source (Dex) improves subsequent growth performance and carcass traits of broilers.

Keywords

• broiler
• early feeding
• dextrose
• performance
• intestinal morphology
• thyroid hormone