Insoluble fibre in broiler diet

Interesting paper, would you then recommend a min. of insoluble fiber in broiler diets?, from what age?, which would be the best source, ...also wheat bran could play similar role as oat/barley hulls or not?. And last but not least, you don´t mention what basal diet was used (corn-soya?), would you then, if following your advice, avoid using exogenous enzymes?. Many thanks from Rafa.

Me too think that it is a very good piece of information.Now I can understand the reason why in practical life the signs of severe reflux are constantly seen in the gizzard of dead broilers suspected cause of death for poor quality ( adultration of feed raw materials such as rice brawn with high propertion of finely ground rice hulls/saw dusts and soybean meals with high propertion of soybean plant steam parts and leaves,maize with high propertion of cobs) feed supply.
Thank you so much for the sharing the information.
Dr K B Bohara
Valley grop of Poultry industry
Nepal

Congratulation for an interesting article !

Use of appropriate insoluble fibre / high B-value ingredients in broiler feed and intermittent feeding practice in broiler would be an interesting exposer to broiler farmers comparing with conventional broiler feeding practice. However, maintaining low pH (<5pH) in hind gut would be key to reduce B-value for nutrient digestibility.

Thanks !

great article about Performance in Broiler Chickens. Is there not an effect on water adsorption in the frontal part of the large intestine?

Thank you all very much for the comments. I think Mingan has explained the situation very well: the gizzard is a grinding organ and therefore requires a substrate for its own development. A well-developed gizzard will not only result in a more homogenised particle size of digesta entering the lumen but reductions in pH in the gizzard as a result of up regulation of HCL secretions coming from the proventriculus - this may have numerous beneficial effects, namely presenting optimal conditions for pepsin activity. A well-developed gizzard is a powerful, muscular organ and creates intra luminal pressure changes with each contraction-relaxation, this has an effect on the pattern of motility in the small intestines and most likely promotes mixing of digesta that will aid optimal enzyme/substrate contact.

The diets used in the trial were corn/wheat/soya based without enzymes but inclusion of coarse fibre does not necessarily eliminate the need for NSPases, optimal performance in broilers will be achieved by including both.

Another co-author on this paper, Prof Birger Svihus recently published a comprehensive review on the topic of gizzard development and fibre, in that you may find some recommendations: SVIHUS, B. (2011) The gizzard: function, influence of diet structure and effects on nutrient availability. World's Poultry Science Journal. 67: 207-224.