Selected performance parameters in laying hens and broiler chickens receiving diets containing Colombian corn or corn imported from the United States

The present study evaluated possible differences in production performance and egg quality parameters in laying hens and broiler chickens fed diets formulated with corn produced in Colombia or corn imported from the United States. For the laying hen trial, eighty 24-week-old Hy-Line Brown hens were randomly distributed into two treatments, each with 40 individually caged birds. The diets contained 56.7% corn and were provided ad libitum for 20 weeks. For the broiler chicken trial, 352 male one-day-old Ross 308 AP chicks were randomly distributed into two dietary treatments, with 8 replicate pens of 22 birds each. The diets contained between 51.0 (starter) and 59.6% (finisher) corn and were provided ad libitum for 35 days. Data from the 20 experimental weeks from the laying hen trial showed a trend for higher egg weight (p = 0.06) in the hens fed the diet containing national corn (61.4 vs. 59.9 g), coupled with a slightly lower feed conversion rate (1.95 vs. 1.97). In regard to egg quality, yolk color showed higher values (p < 0.01) for the eggs from the hens fed national corn at weeks 4 and 12, but lower at week 20. Haugh units were significantly higher (p = 0.002) in the eggs from the birds fed national corn (106 vs. 102). The broiler chicken trial showed a significantly lower (p = 0.04) cumulative feed conversion rate for the chickens fed the diet containing national corn compared with those fed the imported corn (1.37 vs. 1.42). Carcass yield showed a significantly (p < 0.01) higher breast percentage in the chickens fed the imported corn (27.9% vs. 26.3%). The results of two trials showed some differences in production parameters in layers and broilers that favored the use of national corn compared with imported corn. More studies are needed to determine if these differences are seen in full production cycles (laying hens) and to investigate possible differences in complete diets for other domestic species.