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Effects of modest improvements in pellet quality and experiment pen size on broiler chicken performance

Published: December 1, 2017
By: B. G. Glover 1, K. L. Foltz 1, I. Holásková 2 and J. S. Moritz 1. / 1 Division of Animal and Nutritional Sciences, Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA; and 2 Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design Administration, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA.
Summary

SUMMARY

Improving the crumble/pellet percentage of feed has been argued to be difficult to obtain in the commercial industry due to the necessity of feed mills producing adequate feed volume within a time constraint. Broiler performance research often utilizes small numbers of birds per pen or experimental unit that may affect the estimation of variance components, potentially producing pen performance metrics that are less valuable for industry guidance. The objective of this study was to compare the performance of straight run Hubbard × Cobb broiler chickens receiving a standard crumble/pellet percentage (50%) vs a modestly improved crumble/pellet percentage (70%), in either large pen (46 birds) or small pen (23 birds) experimental units. All diets were batched, mixed, steam conditioned to approximately 82°C, extruded through a 4.8 × 38.1 mm pellet die, and crumbled at the West Virginia University pilot feed mill. Crumble/pellet percentage differences were obtained by grinding a portion of the complete feed then remixing. Treatments were replicated 10 times and fed for 1 to 38 d using a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement in a randomized complete block design to measure growth performance. Bird density and feeder space access was 0.06 m2/bird and 1.2 cm/bird, respectfully for both experimental units. Crumble/pellet percentage and pen size main effects did not interact for any growth performance metric. Broilers consuming improved crumble/pellet percentage had a tendency towards decreased feed intake (P = 0.07) and feed conversion ratio by 3 points (P = 0.1), but maintained a similar weight gain (P = 0.3). Large pens decreased live weight gain (P = 0.03). Improved crumble/pellet percentage increased pen coefficient of variation for ending weight (P = 0.05), likely due to competitive feeding behavior. These data suggest that modest improvements in crumble/pellet percentage may provide performance benefits, and feed quality variation effects on growth performance can be satisfactorily evaluated utilizing a small pen experimental unit.

Key words: crumble, pellet, broiler, pen size, feed conversion ratio.

Abstract published in The Journal of Applied Poultry. Research, 2016. 25:21–28 http://dx.doi.org/10.3382/japr/pfv054.

Related topics:
Authors:
Joe Moritz
West Virginia University
West Virginia University
Influencers who recommended :
Sahil Kalia, Ph.D.
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Youssef Attia
20 de febrero de 2018
Hello Park W. Waldroup How are you, and how is Amy. Thank you for the comment. I have done a lot of work to control salmonella, use of photogenic oil and improve pellet quality, the start point is the quality of feeds and additives can work based on GIT and husbandry practice. Stay blessed. here my published results Attia Y.A., Ellakany H.F., Abd El-Hamid A.E., Bovera Fulvia, Ghazaly S.A. (2012). Control of Salmonella enteritidis infection in male layer chickens by acetic acid and/or prebiotics, probiotics and antibiotics. Arch. Geflügelk., 76 (4) 239–245. Attia Y. A., A. E. Abd El-Hamid, H. F. Ellakany, F. Bovera, M. A. Al-Harthi and S. A. Ghazaly (2013). Growing and laying performance of Japanese quail fed diet supplemented with different concentrations of acetic acid. Ita. Journal Anim. Sci. 2013; 12, e37:222-230. Attia, Y. A., El-Tahawy W. S., Abd El-Hamid A. E., Nizza A., El-Kelway M.I., M. A. Al-Harthi, and Bovera F. (2014). Effect of feed form, pellet diameter and enzymes supplementation on carcass characteristics, meat quality, blood plasma constituents and stress indicators of broilers. Archiv Tierzucht 57 (2014) 57, 30, 1-14, doi: 10.7482/0003-9438-57-030. Attia, Y. A., El-Tahawy W. S., Abd El-Hamid A. E., Nizza A., Bovera F., Mohammed A. Al-Harthi and El-Kelway M.I. (2014). Effect of feed form, pellet diameter and enzymes supplementation on growth performance and nutrient digestibility of broiler during days 21-37 of age. Archiv Tierzucht 57 (2014), 57, 34, 1-11. doi: 10.7482/0003-9438-57-034. Attia, Y. A., El-Tahawy, W.S. Abd El-Hamid, A. E., Hassan, S. S. Antonino Nizza, El-Kelaway, M. I. (2012). Effect of phytase with or without multienzyme supplementation on performance and nutrient digestibility of young broiler chicks fed mash or crumble diets. Italian Journal of Animal Science 2012; 11:e56:303:308. Attia, Y. A. and Al-Harthi, M. A. (2015). Nigella seed oil as an alternative to antibiotic growth promoters for broiler Chickens. Europ. Poult. Sci., 79. 2015, ISSN 1612-9199, DOI: 10.1399/eps.2015.80. Attia, Y. A., Bakhashwain Ahmed A. & Bertu Nehal K. (2017). Thyme oil (Thyme vulgaris L.) as a natural growth promoter for broiler chickens reared under hot climate. Italian Journal of Animal Science, 16: 275–282. DOI: 10.1080/1828051X.2016.1245594.
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Steffen Hansen
PIG.dk
14 de febrero de 2018
Who volunteer to make two new posts: 1. Effect of acidifiers on Salmonella in poultry feed. 2. Effect of essential oils on Salmonella in poultry feed.
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Luis Mansilla
13 de febrero de 2018

I consider it opportune to specify that the benefactor effect in the modulation of the intestinal microbiota, it is through its antimicrobial activity or through the same stimulation of eubiosis (balance of beneficial microflora). This will be repeated, apart from its other properties (eg control of avian coccidia, innunoimulation, etc); in an encouraging performance in the productive parameters: greater weight increase / day, lower feed intake, improved feed conversion and higher final weight at the time of the benefit. It is not in vain that phytobiotics are classified as modern growth promoters, as alternatives to antibiotics used as a premix, and that since 2006 the EU has banned their use.

Greetings from Peru.

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Alagbe olujimi John
11 de febrero de 2018
Excellent work.
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Park W. Waldroup
University of Arkansas (USA)
University of Arkansas (USA)
9 de febrero de 2018

I have evaluated a lot of essential oil products in my research lab with little effectiveness in a well balanced corn-soy diet. That said, a good quality pellet certainly aids in improved FCR and especially in hot weather conditions.

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Dr Piotr Stanislawski
dsm-firmenich
29 de enero de 2018

Interesting article (as mentioned by Steffen) and interesting discussion; reaching even the sanitation of feeds. Just a few words on the side topic. I fully agree with Luis and Gleen- the influence of butyrates on gut health and its positive influence on production results in broilers. Many organic acids, etheric oils and other eubiotics (used separate or as a mixture) have positive influence on Salmonella and/or other pathogenic microbes in feed and the gut. But we know also that none is enough effective to eliminate it. Similar problem we have with Clostridium or E.coli (eg. benzoic acid is very effective). As all above opinions, we agree that only combination of physical factors (pelleting/expanding), disinfection, organic acids, phytobiotics, etc., could solve/ minimize the problem.
Coming back to the main topic- there is evidence that poor quality pellets (too soft, much fines, small particle size <0,8mm) are worse than good mash feed (bigger particles 0,8-2,5 mm, not much fines).

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Luis Mansilla
8 de enero de 2018

The use of phytochemicals is an effective option in the context of avian pathology. But it is not the reason of this forum. So, focusing on the subject, it is propitious to mention that:

Because of its strong and pungent odor, butyric acid is commonly used in its Butyrate form (as a calcium or sodium salt). Recurrent studies have concluded that after supplementation with Butyrate, there has been an increase in the height of the villi and the depth of the crypts in pigs and birds (Galfi and Bokori, 1990, Leeson et al., 2005). The growth in the height of the villi favors the absorption surface of the small intestine and improves the perfomance in the utilization of nutrients, for which recent work has shown that when the Butyrate is orally ingested it can have beneficial effects on the productive parameters in monogastrics (Bergman, 1990; Smulikowska et al., 2006; Biagi et al., 2007; Hu and Guo, 2007; Mazzoni et al., 2008; Czerwinski et al., 2012).

Greetings from Peru.

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Steffen Hansen
PIG.dk
5 de diciembre de 2017
Very interesting results. It means that an identical feed formulation can result in a different profitability for the poultry farmer depending on pellet quality. The time constraints for some feed mills can also increase the pelleting temperature potentially reducing the value of some nutrients.
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tartarini cesare
19 de febrero de 2018
Dear all, excellent result i have had for last four years to fight gram negatives bacterial using mix formic acid and blend of medium chain triglycerides such as capric, caprylic and capronic acid often added to plant extracts like Boswellia Serrata and Harpagophytum Procumbens to reduce inflammation in the gut
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Kamaran Abbas
11 de febrero de 2018

The blend of herbal products has two main results: improvement in gut health by synergism effects but slightly lowered growth due to the reduction of feed consumption, which broiler producers do not desire.

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