Effects of a novel emulsifier supplementation on growth performance and carcass yield of female and male broiler chicks

The aim of present study was to evaluate the effects of a novel emulsifier supplementation on growth performance and carcass yield of female and male broiler chicks. A total of 1200 ROSS308 broiler chicks with 0-d-old were allocated into 4 treatments with a 2 ¥ 2 factorial design comparing sex (female or male) and different dietary treatments (basal diet supplemented without (CTR) or with supplemental emulsifier (AVI-MUL TOP/GP10 (AMT), 1 g/kg from d 0 to 12, 0.75 g/kg from d 12 to 22 and 0.5 g/kg from d 22 to 44, respectively)). Each group consisted of 15 pens, 20 birds per pen. Growth performance was determined at days 0, 12, 22 and 44 (37 for females). At day 44 (37 for females), all birds were slaughtered. Dressing and breast muscle percentages were determined from one bird of each pen. Males had higher BW than female chicks on days 0 (P=0.014), 12 (P<0.01) and 22 (P<0.01). Compared to females, male chicks had higher ADG and ADFI from day 0 to 12 and from day 12 to 22 (P<0.01), and lower FCR from day 12 to 22 (P<0.01). AMT supplementation increased the BW compared to the CTR group on days 12 (P= 0.02), and AMT chicks had higher ADG compared to the CTR birds from day 0 to 12 (P=0.02). Among the males, AMT increased BW on days 12 and 22 (P=0.02 and 0.02, respectively), ADG from day 0 to 12 (P=0.02), and ADFI from day 12 to 22 (P=0.03). AMT male chicks had lower FCR compared to the CTR males from day 22 to 44 and day 0 to 44 (P=0.047 and 0.02). In addition, dietary AMT tended to increase ADG of male chicks compared to the CTR group from day 12 to 22 (P=0.08). However, there was no diet effect on growth performance of female chicks during the trial. AMT supplementation significantly increased dressing percentage compared to the CTR group (P=0.02), and mainly showed in males (P=0.014). In conclusion, supplementation of AMT can improve growth performance and carcass yield of male broiler chicks.