Application of corn extract in poultry feeding

Abstract

 The article presents the results of studying the efficiency of using 6.50% corn extract (CE) and a mixture of 6.20% CE and perlite (in a ratio of 3.42:1) by weight of compound feed in compound feed for Arbor Acres broilers. The purpose of the research is to study the effect of complete feed with corn extract on the main zootechnical parameters, intestinal microbiome and biochemical status of broiler chickens. Methods. The experiment was carried out in the conditions of an experimental vivarium of the Krasnodar Research Centre for Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine in accordance with the generally accepted methodology. In the second and third experimental groups, there was a tendency to increase the live weight of birds by 4.4 and 1.7% compared to the control, respectively. Feed costs per 1 kg of live weight gain of chickens were higher than the control by 4.2% and 3.6%. The survival rate in the second and third groups increased by 2.7 abs. %. There were no significant differences in the content of lacto- and bifidobacteria in the caecum of the birds of the control and experimental groups. There was a significant increase in the content of total protein in the blood serum of broiler chickens of the third group by 9.0% (P<0.05), glucose - by 26.7% (P<0.05), cholesterol - by 12.3% (Р<0.05), chlorides – by 2.4% (Р<0.01). There was a significant decrease in the level of inorganic phosphorus in the third group by 9.9% (P<0.05). The Ca/P ratio in the third experimental group was higher by 13.6% (P<0.05). However, all indicators were within the reference values. Therefore, the use of corn extract and a mixture of CE with perlite did not have a negative effect on the bird's body.