Effect of Cereal Type on the Performance, Gastrointestinal Tract Development and Intestinal Morphology of the Newly Hatched Broiler Chick

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of cereal type on the performance and gastrointestinal responses of broiler chicks. Diets based on wheat, sorghum and maize, and formulated to contain similar levels of major nutrients, were fed to broiler chicks from days 1-14 post hatch. The wheat-based diet also contained a commercial xylanase at 0.075% level. Birds fed the maize-based diet grew faster (P<0.05) than those fed the sorghum-based diet. Weight gains of birds fed the wheat-based diet did not differ (P>0.05) from those fed either the maize- or sorghum-based diets. Birds fed the maize-based diet had the lowest and those fed the sorghum-based diet had the highest feed per gain, but the differences were not significant (P>0.05). The treatments had no effect (P>0.05) on gastrointestinal tract or intestinal morphometry measurements. Performance differences observed between birds fed maize- and sorghum-based diets were not related to gastrointestinal tract or intestinal morphology.