Performance of Broilers fed mash as Compared to Broilers fed on pellets

In my experience, Broilers fed mash had lower dressing percentage, with lower breast mass and higher organ weight. This was more prominent in cases where mash was fed from day one, than in the cases where mash was fed only during the finisher stage (after 28 days). Apart from that, mash feeding during the early stages resulted in lowered flock uniformity.

One of the reasons is that birds spend more energy when fed with mash than when fed with pellets: most of this difference comes from the greater number of accesses to the feeder, as birds have to frequently stop feeding to go drinking - to clean their mouth from the dust than is part in the mash feed. If you could feed the birds with a mash containing no dust - i.e. made up only of particles above 1mm, obtained by roller-milling & sieving the milled cereals - the difference would be much smaller. In particular in Belgium traditionally broilers are fed high energy mash diets, quite competitive with the pelleted ones, due to the lower damage to the ingredients & to the reduced cost of production (no pellet mill needed, so less power & no steam). These mash diets are made with roller-milled cereals, and have an higher energy level than the pelletted ones, co compensate for th increased energy consumption. Prof. Teether, once with Oklahoma State University showed in a number of studies - mainly made with and for Cobb if I well remember - that bird activity "steals" energy from the birds, leaving less energy available for growth. Ina way, it is as if pelleting the diet increases its energy value, so you have to comparable results with a pelletted diet, a mash diet has to be more energy dense. Obviously, one has to have the means to achieve this higher energy density. I hope it is useful ! Best regards, Franco Calini

I recommend reading this informative review on this topic. Feeding Behaviour of Broiler Chickens: a Review on the Biomechanical Characteristics by Neves DPI; Banhazi TMII; Nääs IA at Rev. Bras. Cienc. Avic. vol.16 no.2 Campinas Apr./June 2014 This is the link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1516-635x16021-16

What of fat deposits. There have been claims that mash gives a lower dressing weight but less fat while pellets gives a higher dressing weight with high fat. How do we explain this?

it's so simple dear. firstly in mash selective feeding remains an active phenomenon means birds will intend to eat larger particles leaving powderous part behind. so this way balanced formula doesn't reach each birds as is expected & needed for performance because let's suppose corn size is coarser if in a feed, all bird will firstly chose to eat corn & this way their energy needs may get satisfied but protein needs remain unfullfilled. others may be eating porteinous part more than energy part. still others may be eating the remainder powderous part that may simply be the rice bran. this causes different growth pattern among birds disturbing the flock uniformity. contrary to this each pellet granule contains complete formula. 2ndly it affects eating pattern & increased prehension. both of of these simply cause a deterioration in performance(FCR)

In my experience with mash feed in broiler, i observed this facts: 1. A decrease in mortality 2. An improvment of litter condition (less wet) 3. The gut is more healthy and more thick (heavy) especially gizzard. This explane the lower dressing rate 4. The low fat deposition is olso observed du to à lower growth rate 5. But a slow growth compared with pellet feed but the third point can be improved with this measures: in the fedd mill: 1. Incresase the energy level of the feed 2. Fix the dust and the fine of the feed bay using oil or grease in the formula 3. Reduce the fine proportion by coarse grinding 4. If you have wheat, you can use it without grinding even from day 1 5. Reduce the level of mineral raw matérial like phosphate (use enzyme) and limestone to the minimum possible (source of duste and fine) 6. Use fore Phosphate and limestone (the granular form (never pawder form) in te farm: 1. Leave the birds to became hangry for one to two houres every day to empty the feeders. This reduce the phenomena of particles selection 2. Dont store the mash feed more than 5 days

If we want optimum performance pellets will always outperform mash feed. Pelleting process involves process like conditioning where the heat results in destroying anti nutritional factors. Secondly as many authors have mentioned that Pellet is a complete diet means it constitute all the nutrients and birds cant able to do selective feeding. As birds firstly eat to satisfy their energy need and after that its calcium level. But with more push for growth, pellets diet make broilers prone to certain disease condition like sudden death syndrome, fatty liver syndrome, Gout and even loose droppings as well especially finisher stage etc. But these also associated with faulty management conditions. So at times we see SDS we recommend to go for mash like only grain mix to birds for few days.

Proper mixing in mixer gives best result in mash feed. If mixing is proper, mash feed can compete with pellet feed in FCR. The main advantage of mash feed is that it helps to control diseases in bird as there is no nutritional loss during processing and all nutrients are available according to the formulation.

I would like to understand some of the reasons to why broilers feeding roasted and germinated beans in my farm had low weight compared to their age