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The effects of feed form and dietary fiber on the development of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and nutrient digestibility were studied in broilers at 8 and 21 d of age. The experiment included 14 treatments arranged as a 2 × 7 factorial with 2 feed forms (mash vs. pellet) and 7 diets that consisted in a low fiber diet and 6 extra diets resulting from the combination of 3 insoluble fiber sources [oat hulls (OH), rice hulls, and sunflower hulls] and 2 levels of inclusion (2.5 and 5.0%). Pelleting decreased the relative weight (% BW) of the full GIT, and empty gizzard (P < 0.001) and the relative length (cm/kg empty BW) of the small intestine and ceca (P < 0.001) and increased full crop (P < 0.001) and liver (P < 0.05) weights. Fiber inclusion increased the empty weight and the fresh digesta content of the gizzard (P < 0.001) but had limited and inconsistent effects on the weight of the full GIT or the length of the small intestine and ceca. Gizzard pH decreased with mash feeding and fiber inclusion (P < 0.001). Pelleting decreased ether extract retention (P < 0.05) but did not affect N retention or AMEn of the diets. Fiber inclusion improved nutrient retention (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001) with more pronounced effects with OH than with sunflower hulls or rice hulls inclusion. The AMEn of the diets increased (P < 0.05) with 2.5% of fiber inclusion but no extra benefits were obtained with a further increase to 5.0%. Starch ileal digestibility increased with mash feeding (P < 0.001) and fiber supplementation (P < 0.05). In summary, pelleting increases full crop weight and gizzard pH and decreased full gizzard weight and starch ileal digestibility. Moderate amounts of insoluble fiber, especially OH, increases gizzard weight, reduces gizzard pH, and improves nutrient digestibility in young broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of including 3% sunflower hulls (SFH) in the diet on growth performance, nutrient retention (TTAR), and gastrointestinal tract (GIT) traits were studied in chicks from zero to 21 d of age. Four treatments that resulted from the combination of 2 chicken lines (female broilers vs. brown pullets) and 2 levels of SFH (zero vs. 3%) were used. The control diet contained 2,980 kcal AMEn/kg, 1.25% digestible Lys, and 8.7% neutral detergent fiber. The experimental diet included 3% SFH at the expense (wt:wt) of the whole diet. Growth performance, TTAR of nutrients, and the AMEn of the diet were greater (P = 0.097 to P < 0.001) in broilers than in pullets. In absolute terms, all the organs of the GIT were heavier (P < 0.001) and the small intestine and cecum were longer (P < 0.001) in broilers than in pullets. At 21 d of age, however, the relative weight (% BW) of all the organs of the GIT (P < 0.001) and the relative length (cm/kg BW) of the small intestine and cecum (P < 0.01) were greater in pullets. Gizzard pH (P < 0.001), total short chain fatty acids concentration in the cecum (P = 0.098), and villus height (P < 0.001) and crypt depth (P < 0.05) of the ileum mucosa were higher in broilers. The inclusion of SFH increased (P < 0.05) the AMEn content of the diet but did not affect bird performance, moisture content of the excreta, or the concentration and profile of fatty acids in the cecum. Dietary SFH increased gizzard weight and reduced gizzard pH (P < 0.001) at both ages. In conclusion, broilers had better growth performance, nutrient retention, and ileum absorptive capacity than pullets. The inclusion of 3% SFH at the expense of the control diet did not have any negative effect on chick performance and, in fact, increased gizzard weight, reduced gizzard pH, and improved the energy content of the diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of feed form and the inclusion of insoluble fiber in the diet on growth performance and water intake were studied in female broilers from 0 to 21 d of age. The experimental design was completely randomized with 14 treatments arranged as a 2 × 7 factorial with 2 feed forms (mash vs. pelleted) and 7 diets that consisted of a control diet low in fiber (1.6% crude fiber) based on broken rice, fermented soybean meal, and fish meal and 6 extra diets that resulted from the inclusion of 3 insoluble fiber sources (oat hulls; OH, rice hulls; RH, and sunflower hulls; SFH) at 2 levels (2.5 vs. 5%). Each treatment was replicated 6 times. Broilers fed pellets had 32% greater ADG and 3% better feed to gain ratio (F:G) than those fed mash (P ≤ 0.001). The inclusion of the fiber sources improved ADG (P ≤ 0.05) and F:G (P = 0.05). Pelleting increased (P ≤ 0.001) water intake from 6 to 8 d, water-to-feed intake ratio from 18 to 20 d, and moisture content of the excreta at 20 d of age. The inclusion of the insoluble fiber sources increased water intake (P ≤ 0.05) from d 18 to 20 but not from d 6 to 8. Increasing the level of fiber inclusion from 2.5 to 5.0% tended to increase (P = 0.086) moisture content in the excreta at d 20. Pelleting and the inclusion of insoluble fiber sources improved ADG and F:G in broilers fed low-fiber diets, and the improvements observed were more pronounced with pellets than with mash. Growth performance of young broilers improves with the addition of moderate amounts of structural insoluble fiber in the diet, regardless of feed form. The inclusion of OH or SFH into low fiber diets was more beneficial for improving broiler performance than the inclusion of RH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of source and level of in-clusion of raw glycerin (GLYC) in the diet on growth performance, digestive traits, total tract apparent re-tention (TTAR), and apparent ileal digestibility of nu-trients was studied in broilers from 1 to 21 d of age. There was a control diet based on corn and soybean meal and 8 additional diets that formed a 2 x 4 facto-rial with 2 sources of GLYC and 4 levels of inclusion (2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10%). The GLYC used were obtained from the same original batch of soy oil that was dried under different processing conditions and contained 87.5 or 81.6% glycerol, respectively. Type of processing of the GLYC did not affect any of the variables studied except DM and organic matter retention (P < 0.05) that was higher for the 87.5% glycerol diet. From d 1 to 21, feed conversion ratio (FCR) improved linearly (L, P < 0.01) as the GLYC content of the diet increased, but ADG was not affected. On d 21, the relative weight (% BW) of the liver and the digestive tract increased (L, P < 0.01) as the level of GLYC in the diet increased, but lipid concentration in the liver was not affected. The TTAR of DM and organic matter increased qua-dratically (Q, P < 0.05) and the AMEn content of the diet increased linearly (L, P < 0.01) with increases in dietary GLYC. Also, the apparent ileal digestibility of DM (L, P < 0.05; Q, P = 0.07) and gross energy (L, P < 0.01) increased as the GLYC content of the diet increased. It is concluded that raw GLYC from the bio- diesel industry can be used efficiently, up to 10% of the diet, as a source of energy for broilers from 1 to 21 d of age and that the energy content of well-processed raw GLYC depends primarily on its glycerol content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of including hydrolyzed porcine mucosa sprayed into soybean meal (HPM) in the diet was studied in broilers. In experiment 1 (pen study), 1,080 one-day-old chicks were used in a completely randomized design with 8 treatments arranged as a 4 × 2 factorial with 4 levels of HPM (0, 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5%) and 2 levels of Lys (1.23 and 1.38%). From d 1 to 22, HPM inclusion quadratically improved BW gain (BWG, P < 0.01) and feed conversion ratio (FCR, P < 0.01). From d 1 to 8, birds fed 1.38% Lys had higher BWG (P < 0.05) and better FCR (P < 0.05) than birds fed 1.23% Lys but only a trend (P < 0.08) for improved BWG was detected from d 1 to 22. From d 22 to 37, a period in which all birds received a common finisher diet, growth performance was not affected by the previous starter diet. In experiment 2 (battery study), birds were fed for 37 d the same diets used in the starter period of experiment 1. Broilers fed HPM had higher BWG (linear, P < 0.05; Quadratic, P < 0.05) than birds fed control diet, and birds fed 1.38% Lys had higher BWG (P < 0.01) than birds fed 1.23% Lys. From d 1 to 22, BWG (P < 0.05) and ADFI (P < 0.01) increased quadratically and FCR improved linearly (P < 0.05) with HPM inclusion. Also in this period, BWG was higher at the higher Lys level (P < 0.01). Diet did not affect intestinal histomorphology of broilers on d 8 or nutrient retention on d 22. We conclude that the inclusion of 2.5 to 5% HPM in the diet improved growth performance of broilers from d 1 to 22. An increase in Lys from 1.23 to 1.38% improved growth performance up to 15 d of age, but not thereafter. Diet did not affect villus histomorphology or nutrient retention of the small intestine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of autoclaving 2 varieties of micronized (fine grinding) pea protein concentrate (PPC) on the ileal digestibility (ID) of CP and amino acids (AA) were studied in broilers. There was a control diet based on fermented soybean meal (FSBM) and 4 extra diets in which the FSBM was substituted on a CP basis by PPC from 2 different pea cultivars (PPC-1 and PPC-2), either unheated or autoclaved. Chicks were fed a common diet from 1 to 17 d of age and, then, their respective experimental diets from 18 to 21 d of age. Each treatment was replicated 6 times. Autoclaving re-duced trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA) but had little effect on the saponin content of the PPC. The apparent ID (AID) of CP was similar for the FSBM and the un-heated PPC and lower for both than for the autoclaved PPC. Autoclaving improved (P < 0.001) the AID of CP (87.6 vs. 82.2%) and most indispensable AA (e.g., 92.1 vs. 88.8% for Lys and 83.6 vs. 76.5% for Thr) of the PPC. The improvement in CP and AA digestibility with autoclaving varied with the PPC used and was consistent with the reduction in TIA observed (9.4 to 2.8 mg/g for PPC-1 vs. 9.1 to 5.3 mg/g for PPC-2). The standardized ID (SID) of most indispensable AA was similar for the FSBM and the PPC-2 and higher for both than for the PPC-1 (P < 0.05). For Lys, the lowest SID value was observed for the FSBM and the highest for the PPC-2 either unheated or autoclaved. It is concluded that the ID of the AA of the PPC im-proved with heating and was in general higher for the autoclaved PPC than for the FSBM. Consequently, heat processed PPC is a good alternative to FSBM and unheated PPC in starter diets for broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two experiments were conducted to determine the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of the amino acids (AA) of 4 commercial soybean meals (SBM) from the United States (USA-1, 48.1% CP and USA-2, 46.2% CP), Brazil (BRA, 47.6% CP), and Argentina (ARG, 46.3% CP) and the effects of the inclusion of these SBM in diets in mash, crumble, or pellet form on growth performance, total tract apparent retention of nutrients, and digestive organ size in broilers reared in cages from 1 to 25 d of age. In experiment 1, the AID of Lys was higher (P < 0.05) for the USA-2 than for the BRA SBM, with the SBM from USA-1 and ARG being intermediate. In experiment 2, 12 diets were arranged as a 3 × 4 factorial with 3 feed forms (mash, crumbles, and pellets) and the 4 sources of SBM used in experiment 1. The feeds were isonutritive and the AID of the AA of the SBM obtained in experiment 1 was used for diet formulation. Broilers fed mash had lower (P < 0.001) ADFI and ADG and poorer (P < 0.001) feed-to-gain ratio than broilers fed crumbles or pellets but source of SBM did not affect growth performance. Nitrogen retention was higher (P < 0.01) in birds fed mash than in birds fed crumbles or pellets at all ages. The total tract apparent retention of nutrients was lower (P < 0.05) for the BRA and ARG SBM diets than for the USA-1 and USA-2 SBM diets. Gizzard empty relative weight (% BW) was higher and gizzard pH lower for broilers fed mash than for broilers fed crumbles or pellets (P < 0.001). The results indicate that crumbling or pelleting of the diets improved growth performance of broilers from 1 to 25 d of age. Diets formulated with analyzed rather than calculated AID of AA of the SBM sources resulted in similar broiler performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of inclusion of cellulose or inulin as a source of dietary fiber and CP content of the diet on hepatic fat deposition were investigated in hens fed restricted or close to ad libitum consumption. There were 12 dietary treatments forming a 2 × 3 × 2 factorial with 2 feeding regimens [restricted and liberal (close to ad libitum consumption; LIB)], 3 fiber sources (control, 3% inulin, and 3% cellulose), and 2 levels of CP (14.5 and 17.4%). Hens were assigned in groups of 6 to 60 floor pens. From 43 to 55 wk of age, hens fed LIB showed increased activity of the hepatic malic enzyme (MalE; P < 0.01), which led to an increase (P < 0.001) in liver weight and hepatic lipid deposition and was as-sociated with enhancements (P < 0.05) in plasma levels of glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-den-sity lipoprotein cholesterol. Abdominal fat deposition and BW of the hens increased (P < 0.001) with liberal feeding. Inclusion of inulin in the diet reduced (P < 0.05) liver and abdominal fat weight, whereas cellulose inclusion decreased (P < 0.05) feed intake, abdominal fat, and BW. An increase in CP content of the diet from 14.5 to 17.4% reduced MalE activity (P < 0.001), liver weight (P < 0.001), and the accumulation of lipids and cholesterol in the liver, as well as plasma triglyc-eride concentration and abdominal fat pad weight (P < 0.05). It is concluded that fiber inclusion reduced abdominal fat and liver weight, with effects being more pronounced with cellulose than with inulin. An increase in dietary CP reduced MalE activity and alleviated hepatic and plasma lipid concentration; therefore, it might be a practical approach to reduce the incidence of obesity-linked problems in broiler breeder hens. The combination of high-CP diets and the inclusion of a fi-ber source did not suppress liver lipid content over that observed with the high-CP diet, exclusively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 12-wk experiment was conducted to study the effects of feeding regimen, inclusion of a fiber source, and CP content of the diet on performance of broiler breeder hens. In total, 360 hens and 60 males, 43 wk of age, were assigned to 60 floor pens (6 hens and 1 male each). There were 12 treatments arranged factorially with 2 feeding regimens [restricted (R) and liberal feeding (close to ad libitum consumption; LIB)], 3 sources of fiber (0, 3% inulin, and 3% cellulose), and 2 levels of CP (14.5 and 17.4%). No interactions among main effects were observed for any of the traits studied, and therefore, only main effects are presented. Body weight, liver weight, and abdominal fat weight were higher (P < 0.001) for the LIB than for the R-fed hens. However, egg production (P < 0.001), fertility index (P < 0.05), and percentage of hatch (P < 0.01) were lower for LIB than for R hens. The weights of ovaries (P <0.05) and the size of the first preovulatory follicle (P < 0.05) were higher for the LIB than for the R hens. Also, egg yolk, egg weight, and BW of the hatching chicks were higher (P < 0.001) for the LIB hens. The inclu-sion of a fiber source in the diet decreased (P < 0.05) feed intake, BW gain, absolute liver and abdominal fat weight, and egg yolk weight, with effects being more pronounced (P < 0.05) with cellulose than with inulin. Hens fed additional fiber produced more (P < 0.05) eggs that were more fertile (P < 0.05) than control hens. Crude protein content of the diet did not affect hen performance but reduced (P < 0.01) the relative weight of the liver, ovary, and abdominal fat. It is con-cluded that the inclusion of inulin or cellulose in the diet improved hen performance and that an increase in dietary CP reduced obesity in broiler breeder hens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In total, 3,120 broilers were used to study the effects of feed form and source of soybean meal (SBM) of the diet on growth performance. From 1 to 21 d of age, there were 12 treatments arranged factorially with 3 feed forms (mash, crumbles, and pellets) and 4 commercial sources of SBM that differed in the CP content [48.1 and 46.2% CP from the United States (USA-1 and USA-2), 47.6% CP from Brazil (BRA), and 46.3% CP from Argentina (ARG)]. From 21 to 42 d of age, diets were fed as pellets. Diets were formulated assuming that all SBM had similar digestible amino acid content per unit of CP. From 1 to 21 d of age, chicks fed crumbles or pellets had higher (P < 0.001) ADG than chicks fed mash. Also, chicks fed pellets had better (P < 0.001) feed-to-gain ratio (F:G) than chicks fed crumbles, and both were better than chicks fed mash. However, from 21 to 42 d of age, F:G was best (P < 0.001) for chicks previously fed mash. For the entire experimental period, broilers that were fed crumbles or pellets from 1 to 21 d of age had higher (P < 0.001) ADG than broilers that were fed mash. Also, broilers that were fed pellets had better (P < 0.05) F:G than broilers fed mash, with broilers fed crumbles being intermediate. Broilers fed the USA-2 meal had higher (P < 0.01) ADG than broilers fed the BRA or the ARG meals, with broilers fed the USA-1 meal being interme-diate. Feed efficiency tended (P = 0.07) to be hindered in broilers fed the BRA meal. The results show that pelleting improved growth performance of broilers from 1 to 42 d of age with effects being less evident at 42 d than at 21 d of age. Source of SBM affected growth performance suggesting the need for a better control of chemical composition and quality of this ingredient before diet formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of soybean meal (SBM) source and total Lys content of the diet on performance and total tract apparent retention of nutrients was evaluated in broilers from 1 to 36 d of age. There were 6 treatments arranged factorially with 2 sources of SBM regular SBM with 46.3% CP (R-SBM) and high-protein SBM with 48.6% CP (HP-SBM)) and 3 Lys:AME ratios (Lys:ME; 380, 415, and 450 mg of total Lys:1,000 kcal of AMER from 1 to 21 d; and 312, 338, and 364 mg of total Lys:1,000 kcal of AME11 from 22 to 36 d of age). From 1 to 36 d of age, broilers fed the HP-SBM diets had higher ADG and better feed:gain ratio (F:G) than broilers fed the R-SBM diets (P < 0.001). Both ADG and F:G improved (P 0.05) with increases in the Lys:ME ratio. From 1 to 21 d of age, ADG and F:G (P 0.001) were improved when the Lys:ME ratio increased and the benefits were more pronounced with the diets based on R-SBM. From 22 to 36 d of age, increasing the Lys:ME ratio from 312 to 338 increased ADG (P < 0.05) and F:G (P 0.01), but, no further improvements were observed when the ratio was increased to 364. The total tract apparent retention of DM and gross energy of the diets were higher (P < 0.05) for the HP-SBM than for the R-SBM diets. An increase in the Lys:ME ratio reduced organic matter and N retention (P < 0.05). The improvements in growth performance and nutrient retention observed in broilers fed the HP-SBM diets with respect to those fed the R-SBM are consistent with a better availability of nutrients of the high-protein meal. In addition, the results indicate that Lys requirements of broilers are at least, 30, 20, and 8% higher from 1 to 10, 10 to 21, and 21 to 36 d of age, respectively, than current NRC recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of fiber source and dietary fat level on digestive traits and productive performance was studied in broilers from 1 to 21 d of age. There were 6 treatments arranged factorially with 3 sources of fiber (none; 3% oat hulls, OH; and 3% sugar beet pulp, SBP) and 2 fat sources (5% soybean oil, SO; and 5% yellow grease, YG). Each treatment was replicated 6 times and the experimental unit was a cage with 18 broilers. Fiber inclusion improved BW gain (P < 0.05) and feed:gain ratio (P ⩽ 0.001) and increased total tract apparent retention (TTAR) of all nutrients measured (P ⩽ 0.001). The increases observed in TTAR of nitrogen and ether extract and on AME,, of the diet were more pronounced with OH than with SBP. The increases in nutrient digestibility with OH inclusion were higher at excreta than at ileal level and in fact, SBP inclusion reduced the apparent ileal digestibility of most nutrients. The relative weight (%) of the gizzard was increased (P ⩽ 0.001) and the pH of its contents was reduced (P ⩽ 0.001) when additional fiber was included in the diet. The TTAR of nutrients was higher for the SO than for the YG diets (P < 0.001). Also, the increases in ether extract digestibility (P ⩽ 0.05) and AME,, (P ⩽ 0.05) of the diet with fiber inclusion were more pronounced with the YG than with the SO. Therefore, the inclusion of moderate amounts of fiber in the diet might improve performance and nutrient digestibility in young chicks, especially when saturated fats are used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was conducted to study the effects of type of cereal (60% corn or 60% rice), heat processing of the cereal (raw or steam-cooked), and fiber source (control without hulls, 3% oat hulls, and 3% soy hulls) 011 gizzard pH and total tract apparent retention (TTAR) of nutrients in broilers at different ages. There were 12 treatments arranged factorially (2 × 2 × 3) and 6 replicates (8 chicks) per treatment. The 2 basal diets were based on soy protein concentrate and fish meal and had a neutral detergent fiber content of 3.5% for the rice and 7.3% for the corn diet. Gizzard pH was lower at 13 d than at 8 or 20 d of age (P ⩽ 0.05) and was lower for the corn than for the rice diets (P ⩽ 0.001). The inclusion of additional fiber reduced gizzard pH in broilers fed rice but not in broilers fed corn (P ⩽ 0.001). Except for acid soluble ash, TTAR of nutrients increased from 4 d to 8 or 13 d of age (P ⩽ 0.001) and then remained constant until 20 d. Nutrient retention was higher for the rice than for the corn diets (P ⩽ 0.00 1) at all ages. The inclusion of oat hulls or soy hulls improved TTAR of nutrients and the effects were more pronounced for the rice than for the corn diet (P ⩽ 0.001). Also, the beneficial effects of fiber inclusion on TTAR of ether extract and AMEn of the diet were higher at younger ages (P ⩽ 0.05). It is concluded that rice is a cereal of choice in prestarter diets for broilers. The reduction in gizzard pH and the improvement of TTAR of nutrients observed with additional fiber suggests that young broilers might need a minimal amount of fiber in the diet for optimal performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coefficient of apparent ileal digestibility (CAID) of DM, gross energy (GE), N, and amino acids (AA) of 6 soybean meal (SBM) samples were compared in 21-d-old broilers. In addition, the digestibility of DM and N of diets that contained these SBM were tested in vitro. Four of the SBM were of South American origin, had a CP content varying from 45.2 to 47.2% and a trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA) varying from 4.1 to 6.5 mg/g, and were collected from local traders. The other 2 SBM were from US origin; one was a branded product with 48.6% CP and 1.8 mg of TIA/g and the other was obtained from soybeans of US origin that were dehulled and processed in Spain (50.6% CP and 2.4 mg of TIA/g). The experimental design was completely randomized with 6 diets and 6 replicates per treatment. Chicks were fed a commercial diet from 1 to 16 d of age and then their respective experimental diets for 5 d. The diets were based on sucrose and corn starch, with the SBM tested as the only source of protein. At 21 d of age, digesta was collected from the distal ileum and the CAID of nutrients was determined using celite as an indigestible marker. Diets that included the 2 SBM with the greatest CP content had greater CAID of DM (P ≤ 0.001), GE (P ≤ 0.001), N (P ≤ 0.01), and S AA (P ≤ 0.001) than the other diets. The regression coefficient (R²) between in vitro and in vivo CAID was 0.76 for DM and 0.68 for N (P ≤ 0.05). We conclude that DM, GE, N, and AA digestibility varies among SBM samples with the greater values for those samples with the greater CP and lesser TIA. Also, the in vitro test can be used to predict ileal digestibility of DM and N of SBM in broilers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the influence of the cereal (corn and rice), heat processing (HP) of the cereal (raw and steam cooking), and fiber inclusion (none; 3% oat hulls, OH; and 3% soy hulls, SH) in low-fiber diets on the development and pH of the digestive tract in broilers. There were 12 treatments arranged factorially and 3 replicates (a cage with 12 chicks) per treatment. Digestive traits were measured at 1, 5, 9, 15, and 22 d of age, and digesta pH was determined at 22 d of age. The relative weight (% BW) of proventriculus and gizzard was greater in chicks fed corn than in chicks fed rice (P ⩽ 0.01). Heat processing had little effect on relative weight (RW) of the digestive organs. An interaction between cereal and HP of the cereal was detected for the gizzard and the liver; HP of corn reduced RW of the gizzard and increased that of the liver, but no effect was observed with HP of rice. The RW of the proventriculus was increased by SH inclusion (P ⩽ 0.05), whereas the RW of the gizzard was increased by OH inclusion (P ⩽ 0.00 1). Also, SH inclusion increased gizzard digesta (P ⩽ 0.01) and moisture (P ⩽ 0.001) content. Dietary treatment did not affect relative length (cm/kg of empty BW) of the intestines. Feeding rice tended to increase gizzard digesta pH (P = 0.08 1) but reduced that of the intestines (P< 0.001). Neither HP of the cereal nor hull inclusion affected pH of the digestive tract. We condude that the RW of the proventriculus and gizzard is reduced by feeding rice and increased by hull inclusion. Dietary treatment had little effect on the weight and relative length of the intestines. Chicks might require a minimal amount of fiber in the diet to stimulate the development of the upper gastrointestinal tract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "Effects of feed form and fiber inclusion in the diet on digestive traits and nutrient utilization in eight-day-old broilers," by E. Jimenez-Moreno and colleagues is presented.