Bacterial protein meal produced on natural gas replacing soybean meal or fish meal in broiler chicken diets

Abstract

The effects of replacing soybean meal or fish meal with 2, 4 or 6% bacterial protein meal (BPM) on growth performance, ileal digestibility of amino acids and sensory quality of meat, were examined using 630 broiler chickens. Weight gain from 7-32 days of age did not differ significantly among the treatments. Efficiency of feed conversion was increased when BPM replaced soybean meal, and abdominal fat deposition tended to decline. Feed conversion was not affected when BPM replaced fish meal. Amino acid digestibility was unaffected or improved when BPM replaced soybean meal, whereas replacement of fishmeal with BPM resulted in similar digestibility. Sensory quality of fresh thigh meat was similar among treatments, but for freeze-stored chest meat replacement of fish meal with BPM reduced off-odour and off-flavour and increased juiciness. It was concluded that 6% BPM can replace soybean meal or fish meal protein in broiler chicken diets.

Growth performance and carcase quality in broiler chickens fed on bacterial protein grown on natural gas

“…Previous studies have shown that feeding BPM to broiler chickens results in similar or improved growth up to 60 g/ kg (Skrede et al, 2003;Schøyen et al, 2007b), but reduced growth rates at higher inclusion concentrations of 80 and 100 g/kg, when replacing SBM (Skrede et al, 2003). Significantly better FCE has also been obtained with increasing concentrations of up to 100 g/kg BPM (Skrede et al, 2003;Schøyen et al, 2007a). In contrast, we found that adding BPA to diets resulted in reduced BWG and FI, and decreased FCE, especially at high concentrations of 80 and 120 g/kg.…”

“…The decreased litter quality at d 32 in the birds fed BPA, despite a lower FI in this period, might be related to the increased digesta viscosity of these birds; this is in agreement with data reported by Leeson and Summers (2001). Schøyen et al (2007a) also reported stickier droppings and poorer litter quality in chickens fed BPA, but not with BPM. The increase in jejunal viscosity when feeding BPA compared with BPM may be a result of increased exposure of the cell membrane and cell wall components, resulting in increased interaction with constituents in the intestinal lumen.…”

“…In contrast, we found that adding BPA to diets resulted in reduced BWG and FI, and decreased FCE, especially at high concentrations of 80 and 120 g/kg. Previously, Schøyen et al (2007a) reported that the partial replacement of SBM with 60 g/kg BPM or BPA gave similar growth rate and feed intake in chickens, but FCE improved only with BPM. The reduction in FI and subsequent growth rate of the birds fed BPA in the present experiment suggest that palatability was a limiting factor Within a dietary treatment and row, means without a common superscript are significantly different at P < 0Á05 (Ryan-Einot-Gabriel-Welch).…”

“…Skrede et al (2003) reported an improvement in litter quality with increasing concentrations of BPM replacing SBM in diets for broiler chickens. Schøyen et al (2007a) reported more sticky droppings and poorer litter quality in chickens fed a low concentration of 60 g/kg BPA, but no adverse effect of BPM. Increased digesta viscosity often leads to litter moisture problems (Leeson and Summers, 2001).…”

“…and Brevibacillus agri, may be a suitable protein source in diets for broiler chickens; it has a favourable amino acid composition (Skrede et al, 1998) and experiments have shown similar or improved growth performance of broiler chickens given BPM at the expense of high-quality fish meal or soybean meal (SBM) (Skrede et al, 2003;Schøyen et al, 2007a).…”