Broiler Responses to Dietary Fibre Sources at Different Ages: Effects on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Blood Parameters and Intestinal Morphology

ABSTRACT Background Previous studies investigated the effect of different levels of fibre sources, but little research is available on the effect of a bird's age on the type of fibre source. Objectives The study aimed to determine the effect of rice hulls (RHs) and sugar beet pulp (SBP) on grow...

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Main Authors: Ali Asghar Kardel, Mohammad Kazemifard, Mansour Rezaei, Asadollah Teimouri Yansari
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-07-01
Series:Veterinary Medicine and Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/vms3.70471
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author Ali Asghar Kardel
Mohammad Kazemifard
Mansour Rezaei
Asadollah Teimouri Yansari
author_facet Ali Asghar Kardel
Mohammad Kazemifard
Mansour Rezaei
Asadollah Teimouri Yansari
author_sort Ali Asghar Kardel
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Background Previous studies investigated the effect of different levels of fibre sources, but little research is available on the effect of a bird's age on the type of fibre source. Objectives The study aimed to determine the effect of rice hulls (RHs) and sugar beet pulp (SBP) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood parameters and intestinal morphology of broilers at different ages. Methods A total of 160 newly hatched Ross 308 male broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 4 dietary groups, each with 4 replicates and 10 chicks per replicate. Dietary treatments included: T1: control diet without any additions at grower and finisher periods; T2: diet containing 3% RH in the grower period and 3% SBP in the finisher period; T3: diet containing 3% SBP in the grower period and 3% RH in the finisher period; and T4: diet containing 1.5% RH and 1.5% SBP in the grower and finisher periods. Average growth performance during this period and nutrient digestibility, blood parameters and ilium morphology were evaluated at Days 24 and 42. Results Feed conversion ratio (FCR) of broilers significantly improved in the T2 group from 11 to 24 days and body weight gain (BWG) in T2 and T4 from 11 to 42 days of age (p < 0.05). At 42 days of age, the greatest dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) digestibility were observed in the T4 group in comparison to the T3 groups (p < 0.05). The ilium villus height–to–crypt depth (VH/CD) ratio increased at 24 days of age in the T1 and T2 groups (p < 0.05). Conclusions Our study showed that the T2 and T4 groups might enhance broiler growth performance through increasing nutrient digestibility and ilium morphology during Days 11 to 42 days of age.
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spelling doaj-art-97cc0b22acd441978e15f7e0c5ee4f972025-08-20T03:55:53ZengWileyVeterinary Medicine and Science2053-10952025-07-01114n/an/a10.1002/vms3.70471Broiler Responses to Dietary Fibre Sources at Different Ages: Effects on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Blood Parameters and Intestinal MorphologyAli Asghar Kardel0Mohammad Kazemifard1Mansour Rezaei2Asadollah Teimouri Yansari3Department of Animal ScienceSari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources UniversitySariIranDepartment of Animal ScienceSari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources UniversitySariIranDepartment of Animal ScienceSari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources UniversitySariIranDepartment of Animal ScienceSari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources UniversitySariIranABSTRACT Background Previous studies investigated the effect of different levels of fibre sources, but little research is available on the effect of a bird's age on the type of fibre source. Objectives The study aimed to determine the effect of rice hulls (RHs) and sugar beet pulp (SBP) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood parameters and intestinal morphology of broilers at different ages. Methods A total of 160 newly hatched Ross 308 male broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 4 dietary groups, each with 4 replicates and 10 chicks per replicate. Dietary treatments included: T1: control diet without any additions at grower and finisher periods; T2: diet containing 3% RH in the grower period and 3% SBP in the finisher period; T3: diet containing 3% SBP in the grower period and 3% RH in the finisher period; and T4: diet containing 1.5% RH and 1.5% SBP in the grower and finisher periods. Average growth performance during this period and nutrient digestibility, blood parameters and ilium morphology were evaluated at Days 24 and 42. Results Feed conversion ratio (FCR) of broilers significantly improved in the T2 group from 11 to 24 days and body weight gain (BWG) in T2 and T4 from 11 to 42 days of age (p < 0.05). At 42 days of age, the greatest dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) digestibility were observed in the T4 group in comparison to the T3 groups (p < 0.05). The ilium villus height–to–crypt depth (VH/CD) ratio increased at 24 days of age in the T1 and T2 groups (p < 0.05). Conclusions Our study showed that the T2 and T4 groups might enhance broiler growth performance through increasing nutrient digestibility and ilium morphology during Days 11 to 42 days of age.https://doi.org/10.1002/vms3.70471broilerdietary fibredifferent agesmorphologyperformance
spellingShingle Ali Asghar Kardel
Mohammad Kazemifard
Mansour Rezaei
Asadollah Teimouri Yansari
Broiler Responses to Dietary Fibre Sources at Different Ages: Effects on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Blood Parameters and Intestinal Morphology
Veterinary Medicine and Science
broiler
dietary fibre
different ages
morphology
performance
title Broiler Responses to Dietary Fibre Sources at Different Ages: Effects on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Blood Parameters and Intestinal Morphology
title_full Broiler Responses to Dietary Fibre Sources at Different Ages: Effects on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Blood Parameters and Intestinal Morphology
title_fullStr Broiler Responses to Dietary Fibre Sources at Different Ages: Effects on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Blood Parameters and Intestinal Morphology
title_full_unstemmed Broiler Responses to Dietary Fibre Sources at Different Ages: Effects on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Blood Parameters and Intestinal Morphology
title_short Broiler Responses to Dietary Fibre Sources at Different Ages: Effects on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Blood Parameters and Intestinal Morphology
title_sort broiler responses to dietary fibre sources at different ages effects on growth performance nutrient digestibility blood parameters and intestinal morphology
topic broiler
dietary fibre
different ages
morphology
performance
url https://doi.org/10.1002/vms3.70471
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AT mohammadkazemifard broilerresponsestodietaryfibresourcesatdifferentageseffectsongrowthperformancenutrientdigestibilitybloodparametersandintestinalmorphology
AT mansourrezaei broilerresponsestodietaryfibresourcesatdifferentageseffectsongrowthperformancenutrientdigestibilitybloodparametersandintestinalmorphology
AT asadollahteimouriyansari broilerresponsestodietaryfibresourcesatdifferentageseffectsongrowthperformancenutrientdigestibilitybloodparametersandintestinalmorphology