USE OF TRITICALE GRAINS IN BROILER CHICK DIETS CONTAINING DRY FAT

Abstract

The present study was conducted using 400 Ross chicks to determine the efficiency of partial substitution of corn with triticale grain and dry fat (Feedar) on the broiler performance, meat quality and mineral utilization. The chicks were arranged as a complete block design with four treatments and 4 replicate/ treatment (25 chicks/ replicate). The treatments were diet 1: basal diet (corn representing 100% of grain component and corn oil - C); diet 2: (corn representing 100% of grain component and dry fat - T0); diet 3: (50% corn and 50% triticale of grain components and dry fat - T50); diet 4: (75% corn and 25% triticale of grain components and dry fat - T25). Weekly body gain, feed intake were recorded. At slaughter, blood and liver samples were collected for further analysis. Results showed no significant difference (P>0.05) between chicks from C, T50 and T25 in term of total weight gain compared to chicks from T0. Feed intakes were significantly higher in chicks in the T50 group compared with other groups. The feed conversion ratios were significantly higher in chicks fed different levels compared with the control and T0 groups. Moreover, there were no significant effect of treatments on the concentration of Cu, Zn and Mn in liver, but Mg and Co were affected. Carcass dressing and abdominal fat percentages were not affected by the treatments, but lipid percentage in breasts and drumsticks were significantly higher (P<0.05) with added dry fat and triticale when compared to the control group. In conclusion, triticale decreased weight gain during the first three weeks and increased the final feed conversion by almost 20%. However, triticale grain can replace corn up to 50%.