Insoluble granite-grit allows broiler chicks to have better growth performance and gut health

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of insoluble granite-grit on growth performance and gut health status of broiler chicks. One hundred and sixty 14-day-old broiler chicks were allocated to experimental groups control and grit feeding. Each group included 80 birds divided by four replicates, each consisting of 20 birds, 10 males and 10 females. Feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, carcass weight, dressing percentage, gut length, abdominal fat pad, and liver, heart, and gizzard weights were determined. Starter diet included 230 g crude protein (CP) kg−1 and 3.15 Mcal metabolizable energy (ME) kg−1 during the days 14 to 21; grower diet included 212 g CP kg−1 and 3.20 Mcal ME kg−1; and finisher diet included 190 g CP kg−1 and 3.20 Mcal ME kg-1. Control birds were fed broiler diets, while grit-fed birds were allowed to consume broiler diets, including 3% insoluble granite-grit. Grit feeding improved the final body weight (2268 vs. 2336 g) with better feed efficiency (2.03 vs. 1.95) and less feed intake (3780 vs. 3764 g). Grit feeding increased gizzard weight (31.63 vs. 48.00 g) without affecting carcass weight (1643 vs. 1708 g), dressing percentage (73.50 vs. 73.60%), liver weight (42.69 vs. 40.69 g), heart weight (12.00 vs. 11.63 g), abdominal fat pad (34.50 vs. 35.38 g), and gut length (229.3 vs. 220.7 cm) of broilers. Grit feeding affects daily gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio positively by increasing gizzard development and health

Use of wood ash in the treatment of high tannin sorghum for poultry feeding

A study was conducted to investigate the effects of wood ash treatment on the nutritional value of high tannin sorghum. High tannin sorghum was either soaked in wood ash slurry and then germinated for four days or soaked in wood ash extract and germinated for 28 hours or germinated after soaking in water. Chemical composition of the grain thus treated was determined. The feeding value of the wood ash extract treated grain was evaluated in a three-week experiment where sorghum replaced maize in broiler starter diets. Treatment of high tannin sorghum with wood ash extract was effective in reducing the tannin level and did not lower the nutrient content of the grain, unlike the treatment that involved the use of wood ash slurry. There was no significant difference in feed intake between the maize based diet and the diet that contained wood ash extract treated sorghum. There was a significant improvement in growth rate of chicks that were fed on diets that contained treated sorghum. This was also reflected in the improvement of the ileal digestibility of the diets that contained treated grain. Treatment of high tannin sorghum with wood ash extract improves its nutritive value. South African Journal of Animal Science Vol.34(2) 2004: 110-11

Lichen polysaccharides and their relation to reindeer/caribou nutrition

Samples of Cetraria islandica, Cetraria nivalis, Cladina stellaris,Cladina arbuscula, Cladina rangiferina and Stereocaulon paschalewere collected at 3 sites in 2 mountain areas in Norway. Alectoria ochroleuca was collected at 3 sites in 1 of the mountain areas. Lichens contained between 83 and 93% fiber, measured by the dietary fiber analysis, with Cladina spp. containing significantly more fiber than the other lichen species. The fiber consisted mainly of mannose, galactose, and glucose, but the relative content of each monosaccharide differed between species. Fibers from Cetraria spp.and Alectoria ochroleuca contained significantly more glucose than those from Cladina spp. and Stereocaulon paschale, while Cladina spp. and Stereocaulon paschale contained significantly more mannose and galactose. The higher glucose content in Cetraria spp. And Alectoria ochroleuca was reflected in a high lichenan content in these species, while the Cladina spp. and Stereocaulon paschale contained no lichenan. Solubility of the fiber fraction in hot water was strongly correlated to lichenan content, and great differences existed between species. Less than 5% of the dietary fiber was soluble in lichens of the Cladina genus, while more than 50% of the fiber was soluble in Cetraria islandica and Alectoria ochroleuca. Twenty-one percent of the dietary fiber was soluble in Cetraria nivalis. In vitro gas production experiments using rumen inocula from reindeer revealed a higher gas production rate the first 5 hours of incubation in Cetraria islandica, Cetraria nivalis, and in Alectoria ochroleuca compared to Cladina spp. and Stereocaulon paschale. Maximum production rate was observed at about 13 hours and dropped rapidly thereafter. No systematical differences in gas production rate between lichens species were observed after the initial phase. Differences in gas production rate in the initial phase resulted in higher total gas production in Cetraria islandica, Cetraria nivalis and in Alectoria ochroleuca compared to Cladina spp. and Stereocaulon paschale the first 9 hours of incubation. Total gas production after 52 hours of incubation did not vary between species. Gas production characteristics indicate that the amount of readily fermentable fraction was greater, whereas the amount slowly fermentable fraction was lower in lichens of the Cetraria genus and in Alectoria ochroleuca compared to Cladina spp. and Stereocaulon paschale. The water-soluble fraction is easy available for rumen micro-organisms and the results indicate a close relationship between high gas production in the initial phase and high proportion of water soluble fibers and/or lichenan content. Content, composition, and solubility of the fiber fraction could thus be potentially important factors determining nutritive value of the lichen for reindeer/caribou.The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform August 202