Physiological Responses of Broiler Chickens to Dietary High-Quality Proteins

Abstract

<p>Four experiments were conducted to assess the influence of high-quality protein products on the performance, digestive physiology and intestinal integrity, immune development, and survivability of young broiler chickens. Two sources of high-quality proteins, a processed soy product and spray-dried porcine plasma, were included only in the starter diets of broiler chicks and their effects were investigated. Feeding trials were conducted on male Ross 308 broiler chicks from d-old to 35 ds of age. All feed was provided as pellets and experiments were conducted in environmentally controlled housing. Each experimental chapter has been presented as a stand-alone research paper. This summary provides an over view of the key findings of the research.</p> <p>Providing newly hatched chicks with starter diets containing high-quality protein staff enhanced growth performance at d 10 of age. The effects of supplemental dietary high-quality proteins in the starter diets appears to have long-term benefits on the growth performance of broiler chickens and their effects were sustained during subsequent grower and finisher stages of broiler production cycle.</p> <p>Inclusion of processed soy product and spray-dried porcine plasma was effective at ensuring optimum feed intake and high growth performance throughout the experimental period. These benefits were most likely due to improved intestine mucosal integrity, nutrient digestibility and pancreatic and intestinal digestive enzyme activities.</p> <p>The inclusion of a bioactive-nutraceutical such as spray-dried porcine plasma appears to have benefits on the immunity of the broiler chickens, limiting the high risk of immunological and physiological challenges particularly when chicks were faced disease challenge. The non-nutritional benefits were complimentary to subsequent survivability of broiler life cycle. <p>The implications and overall findings from this project are discussed in chapter 7 along with recommendations for the poultry industry and further research. The results of these studies provide evidence that inclusion of high-quality protein products to starter diets of broiler chicks is a promising tool to enhance the performance, intestinal and immune development, survivability of broiler chickens. The results also highlight the nutritional and non-nutritional roles of early feeding of spray-dried porcine plasma in chick development. Beyond providing nutrients for growth, spray-dried plasmas can maintain feed intake, down-regulate the immune system, promote rapid development of gastrointestinal system.</p> <p>There is a need for further investigation into use of high quality protein products in layer chickens diets. A wider range of exploring various proteins feed staff should be considered, taking advantages and exploiting the most available processing techniques.</p>