Volume 16, Issue 3 (9-2025)
Res Anim Prod 2025, 16(3): 153-171 |
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Ahmadali O, Daneshyar M, Payvastegan S, Attar A, Najafi G, Abdollahi M R. (2025). The Effects of Dietary Wheat and Poultry By-Product Meal on Physical Pellet Quality, Production Performance, Carcass Characteristics, and Cecal Microbial Population in Broilers. Res Anim Prod. 16(3), 153-171. doi:10.61882/rap.2025.1504
URL: http://rap.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-1504-en.html
URL: http://rap.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-1504-en.html
Omid Ahmadali1, Mohsen Daneshyar *1 
, Sina Payvastegan1, Amir Attar2, Gholamreza Najafi3, Mohammad Reza Abdollahi4
, Sina Payvastegan1, Amir Attar2, Gholamreza Najafi3, Mohammad Reza Abdollahi4
1- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
2- Khorak Pardaz Hezareh Novin Co, Mashhad, Iran
3- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
4- Monogastric Research Centre, School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
2- Khorak Pardaz Hezareh Novin Co, Mashhad, Iran
3- Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran
4- Monogastric Research Centre, School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
Abstract: (300 Views)
Extended Abstract
Background: One of the main challenges to poultry production is the high cost of feedstuffs in Iran. On the one hand, the dependence of the poultry production on corn, especially soybean meal as a source of protein, creates a demand for cheap alternative products. Therefore, the use of non-consumable by-products of poultry slaughterhouses in human nutrition is an important approach to reduce production costs. Studies have proven that this by-product is a rich source of energy, amino acids, minerals, calcium, phosphorus, unsaturated fatty acids, and vitamin B12, and it is used as a protein source in the diet of monogastric animals in many countries. Moreover, the use of these production wastes in poultry feed will play an important role in reducing environmental pollution. With the expansion of the poultry industry, therefore, the use of poultry by-product meal (PBM) as a potentially effective substitute for other protein sources, such as soybean meal, can be used in feeding broilers. However, the defatting process of PBM is rarely carried out in the country's poultry slaughterhouses, resulting in a high fat content; despite this, PBM has a high fat content. Therefore, the use of this by-product in the diet of broilers will negatively affect the physical pellet quality (PPQ) of feed. Among the feedstuffs used in the diets, wheat, with the ability to absorb water and denature a part of its protein (gluten), may have an effective role in the quality of pellet feed. However, no study has evaluated the effect of wheat and PBM on the quality of pelleted feed and the performance of broiler chickens; hence, this experiment was conducted for this purpose.
Methods: To evaluate the PPQ in the present research, a first experiment was conducted in a Holmen Pellet Tester for the Pellet durability index (PDI) and the Pellet hardness (as kg) using a Kahl device (AMANDUS Kahl), respectively. In a second experiment, 450 one-day-old male broilers (Ross 308 strain) were obtained from a commercial hatchery and then weighed and distributed at the beginning of the trial, with random placement in 45-floor pens (10 birds/pen; 0.10 m2/bird). The research was conducted as a 3 x 3 factorial experiment with three levels of wheat and three levels of poultry meat powder in a completely randomized design with five replications, each containing 10 chicken pieces. To prevent the spoilage of PBM, 200 g of a synthetic antioxidant (containing butylhydroxytoluene and butylhydroxyanisole) and 5 kg of a disinfectant (brand name Formafide based on slow-release formaldehyde) for each ton after drying were added to the mixer to prevent secondary contamination and mixed for 5 min. Pen and feed weights were recorded to determine Feed Intake, Body Weight Gain, and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) on a pen basis at the end of each period. Intestinal morphology and cecal microbial population were measured as well. The data obtained from the present study were calculated using SAS statistical software and the GLM procedure for statistical analysis.
Results: The treatments could affect the PDI and hardness (P < 0.05). The use of PBM significantly reduced the PDI in the starter and grower diets (P < 0.001). The interaction effects of wheat with PBM significantly increased the PDI in starter and grower diets (P < 0.05). The main effect of different PBM levels did not affect the average daily feed consumption in the whole period (P < 0.05). The inclusion of 20% wheat treatment significantly increased feed intake (P < 0.05) compared to the control. The interaction effects of PBM and wheat were significant on the average daily feed consumption during the period (P < 0.05). The inclusion of different PBM levels and wheat during the period showed no significant difference in weight gain (P < 0.05). The different levels of PBM did not affect the FCR in the whole period compared to the control treatment (P < 0.05), while the level of 2% improved the FCR (P < 0.05) compared to 4%. The wheat had a significant positive effect on the villus height (P < 0.05). On the other hand, the microbial population of Escherichia coli bacteria decreased significantly with the increase in wheat levels (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Overall, the results showed that the inclusion of PBM as a protein source, especially soybean meal, can be a suitable alternative up to 4% considering the economic conditions and the high price of vegetable protein sources. Furthermore, the inclusion of wheat in the diet not only acted as a suitable pellet binder but also significantly increased the villus height and the ratio of the villus height to the depth of the crypt in the first two parts of the small intestine. On the other hand, it can play an effective role in improving the intestinal health of broiler chickens by reducing the population of harmful bacteria such as E. coli.
Background: One of the main challenges to poultry production is the high cost of feedstuffs in Iran. On the one hand, the dependence of the poultry production on corn, especially soybean meal as a source of protein, creates a demand for cheap alternative products. Therefore, the use of non-consumable by-products of poultry slaughterhouses in human nutrition is an important approach to reduce production costs. Studies have proven that this by-product is a rich source of energy, amino acids, minerals, calcium, phosphorus, unsaturated fatty acids, and vitamin B12, and it is used as a protein source in the diet of monogastric animals in many countries. Moreover, the use of these production wastes in poultry feed will play an important role in reducing environmental pollution. With the expansion of the poultry industry, therefore, the use of poultry by-product meal (PBM) as a potentially effective substitute for other protein sources, such as soybean meal, can be used in feeding broilers. However, the defatting process of PBM is rarely carried out in the country's poultry slaughterhouses, resulting in a high fat content; despite this, PBM has a high fat content. Therefore, the use of this by-product in the diet of broilers will negatively affect the physical pellet quality (PPQ) of feed. Among the feedstuffs used in the diets, wheat, with the ability to absorb water and denature a part of its protein (gluten), may have an effective role in the quality of pellet feed. However, no study has evaluated the effect of wheat and PBM on the quality of pelleted feed and the performance of broiler chickens; hence, this experiment was conducted for this purpose.
Methods: To evaluate the PPQ in the present research, a first experiment was conducted in a Holmen Pellet Tester for the Pellet durability index (PDI) and the Pellet hardness (as kg) using a Kahl device (AMANDUS Kahl), respectively. In a second experiment, 450 one-day-old male broilers (Ross 308 strain) were obtained from a commercial hatchery and then weighed and distributed at the beginning of the trial, with random placement in 45-floor pens (10 birds/pen; 0.10 m2/bird). The research was conducted as a 3 x 3 factorial experiment with three levels of wheat and three levels of poultry meat powder in a completely randomized design with five replications, each containing 10 chicken pieces. To prevent the spoilage of PBM, 200 g of a synthetic antioxidant (containing butylhydroxytoluene and butylhydroxyanisole) and 5 kg of a disinfectant (brand name Formafide based on slow-release formaldehyde) for each ton after drying were added to the mixer to prevent secondary contamination and mixed for 5 min. Pen and feed weights were recorded to determine Feed Intake, Body Weight Gain, and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) on a pen basis at the end of each period. Intestinal morphology and cecal microbial population were measured as well. The data obtained from the present study were calculated using SAS statistical software and the GLM procedure for statistical analysis.
Results: The treatments could affect the PDI and hardness (P < 0.05). The use of PBM significantly reduced the PDI in the starter and grower diets (P < 0.001). The interaction effects of wheat with PBM significantly increased the PDI in starter and grower diets (P < 0.05). The main effect of different PBM levels did not affect the average daily feed consumption in the whole period (P < 0.05). The inclusion of 20% wheat treatment significantly increased feed intake (P < 0.05) compared to the control. The interaction effects of PBM and wheat were significant on the average daily feed consumption during the period (P < 0.05). The inclusion of different PBM levels and wheat during the period showed no significant difference in weight gain (P < 0.05). The different levels of PBM did not affect the FCR in the whole period compared to the control treatment (P < 0.05), while the level of 2% improved the FCR (P < 0.05) compared to 4%. The wheat had a significant positive effect on the villus height (P < 0.05). On the other hand, the microbial population of Escherichia coli bacteria decreased significantly with the increase in wheat levels (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Overall, the results showed that the inclusion of PBM as a protein source, especially soybean meal, can be a suitable alternative up to 4% considering the economic conditions and the high price of vegetable protein sources. Furthermore, the inclusion of wheat in the diet not only acted as a suitable pellet binder but also significantly increased the villus height and the ratio of the villus height to the depth of the crypt in the first two parts of the small intestine. On the other hand, it can play an effective role in improving the intestinal health of broiler chickens by reducing the population of harmful bacteria such as E. coli.
Keywords: Animal protein sources, diet, Escherichia coli bacteria, Intestinal villi, Pellet durability index, Pellet binder, Soybean meal
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