SPECIAL STORY FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE June 2022 57 FIBER AND PERFORMANCE IN BROILER BREEDER The positive impact of insoluble fibers on the performance of broiler breeders has been shown by Prof Farran and his group from the AUB in Lebanon. They investigated the impact of an insoluble crude fiber concentrate on selected performance related parameters in breeders. This trial was published at the EPC meeting in 2014 in Norway. The trial design as well as the results are summarized in table 3. Corn-soybean meal diets containing 0.8% wheat bran (control) were formulated to meet the specifications of the breeders. The trial diets containing 0.8% crude fiber concentrate were reformulated to have the same specifications as the control diets in terms of energy, crude protein, and other essential nutrients. Taking the increased number of hatching eggs and the improved hatchability into account inclusion of 0,8 % crude fiber concentrate in the trial feed resulted in massive increase in sellable chicks per hen housed. The authors calculated an additional net profit per hen housed of 2.3 US dollars in 6 months based on the current price of the crude fiber concentrate used in the trial diets and the price of a day old bird. ADDIONAL NEED FOR FIBER IN RESTRICTED FEEDING? The impact of insoluble fiber on health and performance of broiler breeders during feed restriction has been well summarized in Jacky Michards paper published in 2011 (Hubbard Technical Bulletin, 10/2011). He promotes the use of low density diets which can be achieved by diluting the feed formulation with insoluble fiber sources. According to the author internal Hubbard field trials have shown some very beneficial effects by applying this approach: • Prolonged feed clean up by 5-15 minutes in rearing and 30 – 90 minutes in the laying stage • Better flock uniformity • Calmer birds which prevents feather pulling • Easier to control litter quality (dryer litter) • Livability in rearing and production is improved SATIATION – FEED CLEAN UP TIME AND FLOCK UNIFORMITY The commercial restricted feeding program of broiler breeders has a major negative effect on welfare, as the birds are continuously hungry. A main topic in breeder nutrition is to reduce this hunger stress because it contributes to the development of feather pecking/ cannibalism, wet litter as well as problems with flock uniformity. A good measure of the level of hunger stress is the feed clean up time. In situations with reduced hunger stress the feed clean up time will be increased, with other words the birds eat slower. The impact of insoluble fiber on feed clean up time and flock uniformity was evaluated in a field trial in Brazil. A total of 80 000 Cobb 500 breeders were involved in this trial. They put 40 000 birds on a commercial breeder formulation and 40 000 on exactly the same formulation with the difference that 0,8 % wheat bran were replaced by 0,8 % of an insoluble crude fiber concentrate (ARBOCEL, JRS Germany). They evaluated feed clean up time as well as flock uniformity during the trial period from week 5 to 20. Table 3: Impact of wheat bran and a crude fiber concentrate on the performance of broiler breeders a,b: means differ significant (p<0,05); *ARBOCEL®, JRS Germany Control 0.8 % wheat bran 13000 3 4330 33 weeks 6 month 11.39 105.6 Trial 0.8 % crude fiber concentrate* 13000 3 4330 33 weeks 6 month 9.44 109.4 + 4.7 Design No of female breeders No of replicates Female breeders per replicate Trial start (age of birds) Trial duration Results Mortality (%) No of hatching eggs/hen housed Hatchability (%)
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