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Effects of dietary forage on feed efficiency of poultry from a slow-growing and a dual-purpose strain for organic fattening systems

Leiber, Florian; Helbing, Manuela; Steiner, Andrea K.; Amsler, Zivile; Tonn, Bettina; Amelchanka, Sergej L.; Terranova, Melissa and Quander-Stoll, Nele (2025) Effects of dietary forage on feed efficiency of poultry from a slow-growing and a dual-purpose strain for organic fattening systems. Biological Agriculture & Horticulture, online, pp. 1-16.

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Document available online at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01448765.2025.2483212


Summary in the original language of the document

Dual-purpose chickens are increasingly used in European organic poultry systems. To test whether lower feed conversion efficiency of dual-purpose chickens could be counterbalanced by less intensive feeds with higher proportions of dietary fibre, a slow-growing conventional broiler genotype (Hubbard JA 757) was compared with a newly developed dual-purpose breed (Coffee ÖTZ), regarding their performance on diets with either low fibre (162 g kg−1 NDF) and high protein (217 g kg−1 CP; diet CON) or high fibre (256 g kg−1 NDF) and low protein (188 g kg−1 CP; diet EXT). In two further treatments, additionally to CON low- or high-quality chopped lucerne hay was offered separately. Forty-eight chicks of each genotype were allocated to the four treatments and fattened over 69 days (conventional broilers) or 77 days (dual-purpose roosters). After slaughter, intestinal organs and digesta were analysed. Voluntary intake of hay amounted to approximately 2% of the total feed eaten. In both genotypes, diet EXT led to higher intake and lower digestibility compared to CON, with less difference in Coffee. Genotype influenced feed intake, growth performance, dressing percentage, and carcass composition, all proving higher efficiency for Hubbard. Feed conversion efficiency was higher in Hubbard. However, in Coffee CP efficiency decreased less and energy efficiency even increased between CON and EXT. Gizzard, small intestine and caeca were larger, and fibre digestibility was higher in Coffee. Short-chain fatty acids in caecum were influenced by genotype. In conclusion, the high-fibre diet appeared suitable to reach appropriate protein and energy efficiency for Coffee roosters.


EPrint Type:Journal paper
Keywords:Caecal fermentation, dietary fibre, dual-purpose chicken, extensive diet, extensive genotype, Abacus, FiBL50132
Agrovoc keywords:
Language
Value
URI
English
fermentation
http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_2855
English
dietary fibres
http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_28386
English
poultry
http://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c_6145
Subjects: Animal husbandry > Feeding and growth
Animal husbandry > Production systems > Poultry
Research affiliation: Switzerland > ETHZ - Agrarwissenschaften
Switzerland > FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture Switzerland > Animal > Animal nutrition > Feedstuffs
Switzerland > FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture Switzerland > Animal > Poultry
Switzerland > FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture Switzerland > Animal > Animal nutrition > Protein supply
ISSN:0144-8765
DOI:10.1080/01448765.2025.2483212
Related Links:https://www.fibl.org/en/themes/projectdatabase/projectitem/project/2004
Deposited By: Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau, FiBL
ID Code:55614
Deposited On:09 May 2025 08:55
Last Modified:09 May 2025 12:16
Document Language:English
Status:Published
Refereed:Peer-reviewed and accepted

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