<b>Effect of symbiotics in the initial feed of broilers on the performance, carcass and meat quality</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v30i1.3595

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of symbiotics on the performance, carcass yield and meat quality of poultry. Two experiments were conducted, with 800 broilers in each, distributed in 4 treatments: female and males supplemented (MC and FC groups) or not (MS and FS groups) with symbiotic in the initial feed. The results showed that the supplementation in the initial period significantly increased the feed intake in males during the final period of the first experiment, and in females during the growth period of the second experiment. The non-supplemented males showed greater feed intake in the growth period of the second experiment. In the first experiment, the supplementation with symbiotic improved the feed conversion on males and females. As for carcass yield, the results did not show significant differences among the treatments in both experiments. Greater breast weight was observed in the MC group, with greater breast yield in the FC group. The chemical composition and sensorial meat parameters were not affected by supplementation. Therefore, we can conclude that addition of symbiotic in the initial feed of chickens may improve the feed conversion of chickens, but weight gain, but do not influence carcass characteristics or sensorial parameters of meat.