Effect of mash and pellet diets containing different sources of fiber on the growth performance and cecal microbial population of broiler chickens

The effects of different sources of fiber in mash or pellet diets on growth performance and cecal microbial population of broiler chicken were studied for 42 days. The experimental design was completely randomized with 10 treatments arranged as a 2 × 5 factorial with 2 feed forms (mash vs. pelleted) and 5 diets consisted of 4 feeds containing 4 different fiber sources (i.e., sugar-beet pulp (SBP), wheat bran (WB), sunflower hull (SFH), all of which in 30 g/kg of diet and cellulose (CEL) in 5 g/kg of diet) and a control diet. The results showed that in the starter phase, all diets in pellet form results in a higher BWG of birds compared to those fed mashed forms of fiber sources and control diet (P < 0.05). Also, feed conversion ratio (FCR) was improved in birds offered diets contained fiber, except for SBP, in the pelleted form, compared to the birds fed fiber in mashed forms, in the starter phase (p <0.05). Birds fed pelleted diets containing WB and SFH had lower (P < 0.05) Coliforms and E. coli populations in the cecum, compared to the other treatments. Dietary inclusion of SFH and CEL in pellet form reduced blood TG. In summary, pelleting the diets contained WB, SFH, and CEL was more beneficial for improving FCR than the inclusion of SBP at starter phase. Also, the results suggest that the inclusion of 30 g/kg of natural fibers or 5 g/kg of CEL in the diets, based on corn-soybean meal, can improve the growth performance, with effects being more pronounced in pellet-fed birds than in mash-fed ones.