EFFECT OF SPECIALTY PROTEIN SOURCES IN EARLY CHICK DIETS ON THE PRODUCTION PERFORMANCE, EXCRETA QUALITY AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF BROILERS

Abstract

Plant and animal specialty protein sources supplemented in early chick diets were tested to determine the effects on the production performance, excreta quality, and carcass characteristics of broilers. Seven hundred twenty, day-old Cobb 500 broiler chicks were allotted to six treatments using the randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 12 replicates and 10 birds each. The dietary treatments were: 1) Corn-Soybean meal diet (Negative control, NC), 2) NC+5% enzyme-treated soybean meal (ESBM1) at booster stage, 3) NC+5% hydrolyzed peptone (HP), 4) NC+5% pork meal (PM), 5) NC+5% soy protein concentrate (SPC), and 6) NC+5% ESBM at booster and 2.5% at starter stages (ESBM2). Broilers fed diets with various specialty protein sources did not significantly affect BW, ADG, ADFI, viability, PEI, excreta scores, and carcass characteristics (P>0.05). Supplementing SPC, HP, and ESBM2 in broiler diets improved feed efficiency (F/G, P<0.01) at the finisher stage. Feed cost was lesser for broilers fed diets with ESBM at booster and SPC (P<0.05). Specialty protein sources included in the booster and starter broiler diets at 5% did not negatively affect overall growth performance, carcass characteristics, and production efficiency. Replacing 5% of SBM with SPC and ESBM was effective in improving the F/G, excreta quality, and feed cost.