Feed enzyme supplementation does not ameliorate Foot Pad Dermatitis in broiler chickens fed on a corn-soyabean diet.

1. Foot Pad Dermatitis (FPD) can be a serious health, quality and welfare problem in poultry production, with a significant affect on the economics of production. The physico-chemical properties of (NSP) have been correlated with increases in excreta viscosity and adherence, and hence FPD in broiler chickens. 2. Two broiler experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of different dietary non-starch polisaccharide (NSP) applications to corn-soyabean based diets in replicated floor pens. In addition to live performance, the incidence and severity of FPD was scored and, in experiment 2, intestinal viscosity and ammonia volatilization were measured. 3. Live performance did not vary with the different treatments in either experiment and the incidence and severity of FPD, and ammionia volatisation in experiment 2, were unaffected. However, birds reared on enzyme supplemented diets had lower (P < 0·001) intestinal viscosity levels in experiment 1. 4. In this study with corn-soyabean meal based diets, dietary enzyme supplementation had no affect on the incidence and severity of FPD. The lack of an association between the excreta viscosity and FPD is attributed to the multifactorial etiology of this condition.

The effects of halofuginone and salinomycin, alone and in combination, on live performance and skin characteristics of female broilers: influence of a high-proline diet supplemented with ascorbic acid and zinc.

Live performance and carcass quality of female broilers were evaluated under four coccidiostat programs (CP) and two feed treatments. The CP consisted of halofuginone (H) and salinomycin (S), fed either continuously (HH and SS) or in rotational programs (HS and SH), during the starter (1 to 21 d) and grower (22 to 35 d) periods, respectively. All groups received an unmedicated withdrawal feed from 36 to 42 d. Feed treatments consisted of a control and a fortified diet high in proline and supplemented with additional ascorbic acid and zinc (50 birds per pen; 4 pens per feed; 8 pens per CP). In addition to live performance and skin puncture strength, carcass quality attributes following processing (at 43 d of age) were assessed. No CP by feed interactions were detected for any of the variables measured. The CP treatments did not differ for live performance. Birds on fortified feed were heavier at 21 d (P < .001) and had an improved feed conversion at 42 d (P < .05). Skin puncture strength was significantly reduced for the birds fed H, either in continuous (HH) or rotational programs (HS and SH). Skin sores-scratches and tears were lowest for the SS and SH groups. The HH treatment resulted in fewer grade A carcasses (P < .001). Halofuginone, when fed continuously or in the starter feed, affected carcass quality of broilers. Higher dietary proline or supplementation with ascorbic acid and zinc did not appear to alleviate the effects of halofuginone on skin quality.

Lysine supplementation of low-protein diets for broiler breeder males.

Two experiments were conducted to assess the impact of supplemental L-lysine HCl on N balance in broiler breeder males fed 8% CP corn-based diets (3,220 kcal MEn/kg; .15% supplemental DL-methionine; .24% basal lysine). In Experiment 1, 78-wk-old males were fed the basal diet with either 0, .05, .10, or .25% supplemental L-lysine HCl. Birds were allowed to eat for 1 h each day to a maximum intake of 325 kcal MEn per bird per day. Total excreta were collected for 8 consecutive days. Nitrogen retention and balance were not different among treatments (P greater than .05) and responded neither linearly nor quadratically to dietary lysine level. Removing the variation due to differences in N intake with analysis of covariance did not change the response. In Experiment 2, 30-wk-old males were fed the same basal diet with supplemental lysine levels of 0, .15, .30, .45, .60, and .75% L-lysine HCl for 5 consecutive days. Nitrogen balance and retention were different among diets, and both variates responded linearly to increases in dietary lysine. Removing the variation due to differences in N intake removed treatment effects, however, suggesting that at least part of the difference was the result of variable levels of intake. Regression analysis indicated a significant linear increase in both N balance and retention with increasing dietary lysine level (R2 = .82). These results suggest that young broiler breeder males can make better use of the protein of corn if supplemental lysine is provided. However, older birds do not demonstrate improved N balance as a result of supplemental dietary lysine.

Influence of whey and probiotic-supplemented withdrawal feed on the retention of Salmonella intubated into market age broilers.

Broilers (6 wk of age) were crop-intubated with a nalidixic acid-resistant strain of Salmonella typhimurium and given four withdrawal feeds: 1) control feed (corn and soybean meal base, 18% CP and 3,200 kcal ME/kg); 2) control plus 5% whey (61% lactose); 3) control plus probiotic (6.8 x 10(6) cfu of Bifidobacterium pseudolongum, Bifidobacterium thermophilium, and Lactobacillus acidophilus); and 4) control plus 5% whey plus probiotic. In Experiment 1, male broilers received 9.8 x 10(7) cfu of S. typhimurium per bird midway through a 20-h fast. The withdrawal feeds were continuously offered through a subsequent period of 6 to 7 days. Live performance of broilers during this time was similar among treatments. Ceca from birds consuming whey were significantly (P less than .05) increased in weight and distended with gas. Recovery of S. typhimurium from the ceca was low with all treatments, and the effects of whey or probiotic at reducing the organism could not be determined. In Experiment 2, female broilers received the same four experimental feeds for 48 h. Salmonella typhimurium was intubated 24 h after feed access (1.2 x 10(7) cfu per bird). Again, no differences (P greater than .05) in performance occurred, but the inclusion of whey led to increased cecal weight and size (P less than .05). Large numbers of S. typhimurium were recovered from the ceca 24 h after intubation, but the levels were similar among treatments. Whey and probiotic in the withdrawal feed did not appear to affect the Salmonella level in ceca when the organism was consumed prior to marketing.