Feather and blood meal at different processing degrees in broiler pre-starter and starter diets

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the inclusion of feather and blood meal (FBM) in broiler pre-starter and starter diets according to the processing method used. Performance, digestibility, and intestinal morphometry of broilers fed diets containing FBM were evaluated in two experiments, in the pre-starter (1-7 d) and starter (8-21 d) phases in a randomized block design with four treatments and five replicates of 12 birds, totaling 20 experimental units per trial. The criteria used for block formation was the battery floor. The meal was processed under different degrees of hydrolysis pressure (2.0 kgf/cm 2 for 40 min; 2.5 kgf/cm 2 for 30 min; and 3.0 kgf/cm 2 for 20 min) and added at 9% to the pre-starter (Experiment I) and starter (Experiment II) diets. In each experiment, 480 male Cobb 500 ® chicks were allocated to batteries. The following variables were measured: live weight, weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and digestibility and retention of dry matter, nitrogen, and ether extract. Performance was not influenced by the dietary inclusion of the ingredient. However, FBM subjected to the highest hydrolysis pressure resulted in the worst overall nutritional balances. The chickens were more susceptible to FBM processing in the prestarter phase, when the hydrolysis pressure of 2.5 kgf/m 2 for 30 min provided the best results. In the starter diet, FBM processed at a hydrolysis pressure of 2.0 kgf/m 2 for 40 min provided the best performance results up to 14 days of age, without changing nutrient metabolism. Up to 9% feather and blood meal can be included in broiler prestarter and starter diets as long as the ingredient processing method is well-known.

Bioavailability of porcine blood meal as a fish meal substitute in the diet for red sea bream ( Pagrus major , Temminck & Schlegel) fingerling

“…On the contrary, the use of BM in feed for pigs and poultry is partially licensed, and its use in fish feed is fully approved. So far, the use of BM has been investigated not only in layers (Donkoh et al, 2001;Karunajeewa et al, 1989), broilers (Khawaja et al, 2007;Laboissière et al, 2020) and pigs (Kats et al, 1994;King'ori et al, 1998), but also in fish (Abery et al, 2002;Aladetohun & Sogbesan, 2013;Ding et al, 2020;Gao et al, 2020;Hatlen et al, 2013Hatlen et al, , 2015Martínez-Llorens et al, 2008). Based on previous studies on fish, 4%-9% BM can be included in the feed without any adverse effect on growth and feed efficiency.…”

Nutritional Potentials of Atypical Feed Ingredients for Broiler Chickens and Pigs

“…Donkoh et al [ 49 ] observed improvements in growth performance of broiler chicks fed solar dried BM (7.5%) in combination with fish meal and without the inclusion of essential AA. Laboissiere et al [ 134 ] observed that a combination of FM and BM could be included in diets of broiler chickens at 9% in the pre-starter and starter phase without negative effects on performance and nutrient digestibility. However, processing methods for BM could reduce the nutrient utilization in broiler chickens.…”

Molecular strategies to enhance the keratinase gene expression and its potential implications in poultry feed industry

“…In animal feed, feather meal is used at a minimum level as it lacks methionine, tryptophan and histidine amino acids ( Luong and Payne 1977 ; Grazziotin et al, 2006 ). Despite the lowest digestibility values, variability of protein contents and bioavailability, feather meal proved as an important animal feed source ( Papadopoulos et al, 1986 ; Laboissière et al, 2020 ). One option to enhance digestibility might be hydrolysis with enzymes carried out by microbes that break down keratin substrates like bird feathers.…”