Natural extract of chestnut wood (ENC) appears to have a positive influence on chick feeding and decreased total litter nitrogen, report A. Schiavone and colleagues at the University of Turin, Italy.

They examined the influence of ENC on broiler digestibility, growth, carcass quality and nitrogen balance.

ENC did not influence the apparent digestibility of organic matter. When chicks were fed ENC from 14 to 56 days of age, it had a positive effect on average daily gain in the first 2 weeks it was added, though this effect was not evident in the last 2 weeks compared to controls, the investigators say in an article published in the March 2008 issue of Poultry Science.

Similar trends were also shown for daily feed intake. Overall, chicks fed 0.20% ENC had significantly better growth performance than controls. Carcass analysis showed no gross lesions in organs and no significant differences in thigh and breast composition among groups.

Investigators note that chicks fed 0.15% and 0.20% ENC showed a significant difference in total litter nitrogen compared with controls and no significant difference in nitrogen balance was observed. "Addition of 0.20% ENC seemed to have a positive influence on chick feeding," they conclude.

Spring 2008

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