Effect of Expanded Feather Powder on Growth Performance, Slaughter Performance and Serum Biochemical Index of Broiler

This experiment was conducted to investigate the nutritional indexes, pepsin digestibility, ultra micro morphological changes of expanded feather meal (EFM) and the effects of expanded feather meal (EFM) on broiler performance and related blood indexes, so as to determine whether EFM can be used in broiler feed and the appropriate level.

240 1-day-old healthy AA male broilers were randomly divided into 4 groups with 6 replicates in each group and 10 chickens in each replicate. Four treatment groups were fed with EFM 0, 0.5%, 1%, 2% diet (digestible amino acid balance formula) for 42 days. The average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI) and feed to weight ratio (F/G) of 1-21, 22-42 and 1-42 days old were calculated. At the age of 21 and 42 days, Blood was collected from heart and serum was separated for determination of AST, ALT, ALP, TP, urea, CREA and ammonia. At the age of 42 days, one chicken was randomly selected for slaughter in each replicate, and the slaughter rate, full evisceration rate, half evisceration rate, leg muscle rate, chest muscle rate and abdominal fat rate were determined.

The results showed puffing treatment could make the feather break, the structure became loose, and the contact area with the environment was larger. EFM had no significant effect on the average daily gain and average daily intake (P>0.05) in the whole period (1-42 days), and the addition of 2% EFM significantly reduced the ratio of feed consumption to weight gain (P<0.05). At the age of 42 days, EFM had no significant effect on the rate of half clean bore, full clean bore, chest muscle, leg muscle and abdominal fat (P>0.05); 2% and 1.5% EFM significantly increased the slaughter rate (P<0.05). At the age of 21 days, EFM had no significant effect on ALT, AST, UREA, CREA and ammonia (P>0.05). Adding 1.5% expanded feather powder significantly increased the TP content (P<0.05). At the age of 42 days, EFM had no significant effect on ALP, AST, ALP, TP and CREA (P>0.05), and significantly reduced urea and blood ammonia (P<0.05).

The results showed that expanded feather powder could be added to broiler feed properly, and 2% expanded feather powder could reduce the ratio of feed consumption and weight gain, increase the slaughter rate, and reduce the levels of serum urea nitrogen and blood ammonia.