This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different physical form of pre-starter diet on performance, nutrient utilization and development of gastrointestinal tract of broiler chicks during the first week of age. A total of 150-day-old male broiler chicks was allotted to a completely randomized design with three treatments and five replicates of 10 birds each. Treatments consisted of three physical forms of a commercial pre-starter diet: mashed, crumbled and pressed into pellets. Except for gizzard, the other organs of the digestive tract and morphologic structures of the small intestine were not affected by the physical form of the diet. The highest N digestibility was observed in birds fed pellet diet, while crumbled diet showed the highest digestibility of EE. The metabolizable energy determined for mashed diet was lower than those determined for the other physical forms of the diet. Birds fed mashed diet had the lowest feed intake and body weight gain and the worse feed conversion. These birds also showed lower intake of energy and less protein, fat and energy retention in the body. They used a higher proportion of the energy consumed for heat production. Pre-starter diets prepared as pellets or crumbles allow better nutrient utilization and improve chick performance.
crumbled diet; heat production; mash diet; metabolizable energy; pelleted diet
