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- Title
The Interactive Impacts of Corn Particle Size and Conditioning Temperature on Performance, Carcass Traits, and Intestinal Morphology of Broiler Chickens.
- Authors
Ghasemi-Aghgonbad, Asadollah; Olyayee, Majid; Janmohammadi, Hossein; Abdollahi, Mohammad Reza; Kianfar, Ruhollah
- Abstract
Simple Summary: Published data on the influence of corn particle size (PS) and conditioning temperature (CT) on the performance of broilers are limited. Corn provides a high-energy feed ingredient for broiler chicken diets and is usually ground before being incorporated into mash diets. On the other hand, several factors, including items that are related to assay methodology, bird factors, and dietary factors, e.g., PS and processing, can influence the nutrient utilization of poultry, ultimately affecting the performance of broiler chickens. The aim of this present study was to investigate the interactive impacts of corn PS and CT growth performance, carcass traits, intestinal morphology and immune system in broiler chickens. The results showed that the PS and the CT affected the growth performance of broiler chickens, and this issue shows that feed-producing companies should pay attention to the PS of feed mills, especially corn, as well as the CT. This study aimed to investigate the interactions between corn particle size (PS) and conditioning temperature (CT) on the performance, carcass traits, intestinal morphology, and immune responses in broilers fed a corn-soybean meal-based diet. A total of 360 one-day-old male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were randomly allocated into six dietary treatments in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement, consisting of two corn PS (finely ground with geometric mean diameter (GMD) of 357 µm (PSF) vs. coarsely ground corn with GMD of 737 µm (PSC), and three CT [unconditioned (CTU), conditioned at 75 °C (CT75) and 90 °C (CT90)]. Birds were accommodated in 30 pens with five replicates and 12 chicks per each pen. There was no interaction between corn PS and CT on the growth performance and immune response of broilers at any growth phases. However, during the starter (0–10 days) period, the average daily weight gain (ADWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of PSF-fed birds were significantly improved compared to those fed PSC (p < 0.05). During the starter (0–10 days) and grower (11–24 days) periods, increasing the conditioning temperature of corn increased the ADWG, while in the starter phase only the CT75 caused a lower FCR (p < 0.05). Broilers fed PSF corn showed the lowest FCR during the finisher (25–42 days) period compared to those fed PSC (p < 0.05). Conditioning corn at 75 °C reduced FCR during the finisher (25–42 days) period compared to the birds fed CTU and CT90 corn (p < 0.05). In whole experimental periods (1–42 days), PSF and CT75 treatment increased the ADWG compared to the PSC and CTU (p < 0.05). The CT75 treatment improved primary total anti-sheep red blood cell (SRBCs) titer (IgT) and IgM and secondary IgT and IgG responses compared to the other experimental groups (CTU and CT90) (p < 0.05). No significant PS × CT interaction was found on the Newcastle disease (ND) antibody titer of broiler chickens (p > 0.05). Feeding CT75 corn reduced duodenum and jejunum relative lengths compared to the birds fed diets containing CTU corn. Significant PS × CT interactions (p < 0.05) were observed for villus height, villus height to crypt depth, crypt depth, muscle thickness, and absorption surface area of the jejunum. The highest carcass yield was observed in the PSF-CT75 group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the use of finely ground corn (PSF) conditioned at 75 °C (CT75) was beneficial to growth performance, development of the digestive tract, jejunum histomorphometry and the immune responses of broilers.
- Subjects
CORN as feed; BROILER chickens; CORN; IMMUNOGLOBULIN M; NEWCASTLE disease; ANTIBODY titer; ERYTHROCYTES; IMMUNOGLOBULINS
- Publication
Animals (2076-2615), 2024, Vol 14, Issue 5, p818
- ISSN
2076-2615
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.3390/ani14050818