White broiler chickens with red combs

Assessing soybean processing add-backs in soybean meal via broiler performance testing

This experiment assessed the feeding value of soybean meal with the inclusion of soybean crush plant add-backs” ingredients (i.e. gums and soapstocks) fed to Cobb MX x 500 male broilers from 0-45d of age. Five corn and soy-based diets were formulated with soybean meal containing various levels of soybean gum and soapstock inclusion or the addition of an inert filler. Diet 1 contained soybean meal with no add backs whereas diets 2-5 contained either 4% gums, 4% soapstock, 2% gums and 2% soapstock, or 4% inert filler, respectively. Diets were fed to 1,200 male broilers placed in 10 replicate pens of 24 birds in a randomized complete block design. Birds were weighed on day 0, 14, 28, and 45 and live performance was assessed from 0-45d. Additionally, on each weigh day, one bird per pen was selected for body composition analysis using dual x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). On day 45, six birds per pen were randomly selected and processed for determination of carcass traits. Moreover, on d45, 2 birds per pen were administered 8.32 mg/kg, MW 3-5 kDa Fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran; blood was collected l h post gavage and fluorescence was measured at an excitation wavelength of 428 nm and emission wavelength of 528 nm using the Synergy HT multi-mode micro plate reader for determination of gut integrity. All data were analyzed using a One-way ANOVA using JMP software with diet as the fixed effect and block as a random effect with pen as the experimental unit. Statistical significance was considered at P ≤ 0.05. Diet 1 had significantly higher feed conversion from 0-45d than treatments 2-5. On d28 birds fed Diet 1 had significantly higher DEXA analysis mineral, calcium, and phosphorus mass compared to birds fed diets 2-5. No significant responses were observed for carcass yields, gut integrity, or woody breast measurements.

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