High-fibre sunflower cake affects small intestinal digestion and health in broiler chickens

Robin Kalmendal (1) , Klas Elwinger (2) , Lena Holm (3) , Ragnar Tauson (2)

1 Department of Animal Nutrition and Management
2 Department of Animal Nutrition and Management
3 Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry

1. An experiment was conducted to evaluate high-fibre sunflower cake (HF-SFC); a feed ingredient distinguished by large amounts of crude fibre and insoluble non-starch polysaccharides (i-NSP). 2. Broiler chickens (n=160) were fed pelleted maize-based diets free from coccidiostats and antibiotic growth promoters between 15 and 31 days of age. Diets included 0, 10, 20 or 30% HF-SFC. Performance and small intestinal health were assessed. 3. In general, HF-SFC inclusion mediated a linear increase in ileal digestibility of fat (p<0.001) and protein (p<0.05) and a linear decrease in ileal digestibility of dry matter (p<0.0001), ash (p<0.01) and energy (p<0.0001). 4. Weight gain was linearly increased with HF-SFC inclusion (p<0.0001). Feed conversion was negatively affected by 30% HF-SFC (p<0.05), but not by 20% HF-SFC. 5. In jejunal lumen, inclusion of HF-SFC was associated with decreased colony counts of Clostridium spp. (p<0.05). 6. HF-SFC inclusion resulted in linear reductions of villus height (p<0.05), thickness of muscularis mucosa (p<0.05) and the circular (p<0.001) and longitudinal (p<0.05) layers of muscularis in jejunum. Crypt depth and submucosal thickness were not affected. 7. Data indicate that broiler chickens may thrive on feeds with insoluble fibre contents far exceeding what is used in practice, and that HF-SFC exerts some positive effects on digestion and small intestinal health.

Mots clés: Life Sciences

Domaines: Biologie animale

Robin Kalmendal, Klas Elwinger, Lena Holm, Ragnar Tauson. High-fibre sunflower cake affects small intestinal digestion and health in broiler chickens. British Poultry Science, 2011, 52 (01), pp.86-96. ⟨10.1080/00071668.2010.547843⟩. ⟨hal-00671644⟩