Effect of dietary fibre on digestive metabolism in broiler chickens: Physiological responses two chicken strains fed low and high diets

The use of alternative energy ingredients, and even co-products from biofuel production, in the diet of broiler chickens containing higher fibre levels should be taken into consideration, as well as the possible benefits these animals can obtain from this component of the diet. Dietary fibre can be considered a diluting component of metabolisable energy and is also responsible for anti-nutritional effects related to the reduced utilisation of nutrients present in broiler diets. Several factors can influence the utilisation of dietary fibre and other components in poultry diets, including age and breed. In this study, two diets with increasing levels of fibre were tested using broiler chickens of the Cobb and Label Rouge breeds to evaluate the effect of fibre inclusion in the diet on performance, energy balance, digestibility, digestive tract and digesta transit time from 1 to 42 days of age.