Evaluation of Different Levels of Dietary Exogenous Hydrophilic Emulsifier Supplementation on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility and Carcass Traits in Broiler

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to investigate the responses of dietary exogenous hydrophilic emulsifier (SOLMAX®50) on growth, nutrient digestibility and carcass characteristics of broiler. A total of 200 broilers (Ross 308) a day-old were allotted to one of four treatment groups in a randomized complete block (RCB) design in 5 replicates with 10 birds per pen for 5-week growth experiment. All nutrients in corn-soybean meal diets were formulated to meet or exceed the nutritional requirement of Korean Feeding Standard for broiler (KFS, 2007), and diets were provided ad libitum and free access to water during growing (3 week) and finishing (2 week) phases. Dietary exogenous hydrophilic emulsifier was added (0, 0.025, 0.050 or 0.075%) in basal diet and their metabolizable energy (ME) was 3,025 or 3,075 kcal of ME/kg, respectively. Additionally, basal diet contained less 75 kcal of ME/kg than KFS for broiler (2007). For each phase and overall experimental period, body weight gain (BWG) (1,682, 1,678, 1,766, and 1,780

linear, P<0.01) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) (1.54, 1.60, 1.49, and 1.46

linear, P<0.01) were improved in proportion to dietary exogenous hydrophilic emulsifier level, while average daily feed intake was not affected by dietary treatment. The improvement of growth performance by dietary treatments was observed during the last 2-week rather than first 3-week of growth phase. There were no significant differences in the apparent total tract digestibilities of dry matter, crude protein, crude fat and crude ash among all treatments. In carcass traits, abdominal fat was increased as dietary exogenous hydrophilic emulsifier level was higher (linear, P<0.01), while there was no significant difference in liver, breast and leg weight of treatments. Results from the current experiment suggested that dietary exogenous hydrophilic emulsifier (SOLMAX®50) up to 0.05% in broiler diet might have beneficial influences on growth performance and feed efficiency without any deleterious effects on apparent total tract digestibility of nutrients although basal diet contained less 75 kcal of ME/kg than KFS for broiler (2007).

Key words: Exogenous hydrophilic emulsifier, Growth performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Carcass traits, Broiler