Effect of early feeding with corn soybean diets versus semi solid diets on performance, gastrointestinal development and carcass characteristics in broiler chickens

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of early feeding with corn-soybean meal starter diet and semi-solid hydrated supplements on yolk suck utilization, performance and carcass characteristics in broiler chicken. The treatments were the corn-SBM diet immediately after hatch (control), and feeding Omaj or a semi Oasis product for 16 or 32 h after hatch. The results showed that chicks fed the semi Oasis for 16 h had greater (P<0.05) feed intake than those fed the semi Oasis or Omaj for 32 h. Early feeding of Omaj and semi Oasis for 32 h resulted in lower body weight than control treatment at all ages. At 42 days of age, the highest body weight was belonged to birds fed with semi Oasis diet for 16 h, however, had no significant differences with that of the control birds. Feed conversion ratios were similar in all experimental groups. Carcass indices were not affected by dietary treatments, except for breast weight that was greater (P<0.05) in chicks fed with semi Oasis diet for 16 h than control chicks and those fed with Omaj or semi Oasis for 32 h. Early feeding of Omaj for 16 h resulted to longer (P<0.05) small intestine than the birds fed Omaj or semi Oasis for 32h.In conclusion, feeding semi solid hydrated supplements such as Omaj and semi Oasis for 16 h after hatch could be useful for day old broiler chickens transformation.