The Effect of Different Sources of Insoluble Fiber on Performance, Nutrient Digestibility and Blood Parameters in Broiler Chicks

This experiment was designed in order to investigating the effects of using different insoluble fiber sources on nutrients digestibility, blood parameters and performance of broiler chicks. 200 Ross 308 broiler chickens were used in a completely randomized design with 5 treatments and 4 replicates. The treatments consisted of a corn-soybean (control) diet or four insoluble fiber sources, including 30 grams per kilogram of rice hull, 30 grams per kilogram of soy hull, 18 grams per kilogram of Arbocel and 14 grams per kilogram of Bamboo. Results showed that the highest feed intake in the finisher period was observed in the control group and treatment contains soybean hull while the lowest feed intake was observed in the bamboo treatment (P <0.05). Birds in the control group and rice hull treatment showed more weight gain during the final period and the lowest body weight gain was related to chickens fed with bamboo fiber source (P <0.05). Feed conversion ratio was significant difference between treatments during the finisher period, so that the lowest FCR was obtained in the rice hulls and the highest FCR was observed in the bamboo treatment (P <0.05). The effects of treatments on dry matter and crude protein digestibility were not significant (P> 0.05), while fat digestibility in rice hull and Arbocel treatments was higher than other treatments (P <0.05). Treatments containing Arbocel and rice hull increased levels of triglycerides and decreased cholesterol in the plasma (P <0.05). Generally, in this study, the use of rice hull as a source of soluble fiber with the least adverse effects on the performance of broiler chickens was found.