Apparent Metabolizable Energy and Plasma Biochemical Profile in Broiler Chickens Fed Diets Containing Grape (Vitis vinifera), Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon), Wild Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) and Apple (Malus pumila/domestica) Pomaces Without or With Multi-Enzymes Supplement

Fruit pomaces are rich in polyphenols and carbohydrates including fibers which could be a good source of energy in broiler diets. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of multi-enzyme supplement (MES) on the digestibility of apple (APL), low bush wild blueberry (LBP), organic cranberry (CRP) and grape (GRP) fruit pomaces and plasma metabolites in broiler. A total of 360- d old Ross 708 male chicks were placed in 72 cages (n=8), fed a commercial starter diet from d 0 to 13, then from d14 to 21 to a TiO₂-marker containing basal diet supplemented or not with 30% of studied pomaces in the presence or absence of MES. Excreta samples were collected on d 17 to 20 and 1 bird/cage bled on d 21 for plasma. APL pomace had significant effect on AME (P=0.008) but no enzyme effect (P=0.109) on AME. Interaction was significant for plasma alkaline phosphatase (P=0.04). Highest levels of cholesterol and bile acids (P<0.01) were observed in birds fed APL-diet. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the use of the four pomaces could be used as energy sources in poultry feed and did not have detrimental effects on the physiology of the birds compared to the baseline profile of plasma. Additionally, MES did not improve the AME of pomaces, therefore, MES would not be taken into account in APL, LBP, CRP and GRP pomaces when formulating broiler diets.

Key words: broiler chicken, enzymes, fruit pomaces, metabolizable energy, plasma.

Presented at the 2022 Animal Nutrition Conference of Canada. For information on the next edition, click here.